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Why SEPTA chose popular Regional Rail lines for potential elimination

If lawmakers in Harrisburg fail to adequately fund SEPTA, Paoli/Thorndale, Wilmington/Newark, Trenton, Chestnut Hill West, and Cynwyd are set to be eliminated in January 2026. It’s a puzzling decision, especially given how high ridership is on some of those Regional Rail lines. Paoli/Thorndale is the network’s second most used line. Trenton comes in third. There’s a theory going around that SEPTA chose the five Regional Rail lines for possible closure to pressure Gov. Josh Shapiro and state legislators for more state money for financially stressed transit systems. The real reason is more banal. SEPTA pays Amtrak —$65 million this year — to run the five marked Regional Rail trains on Northeast Corridor tracks owned by the national passenger railroad.
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    Erin Reynolds
    Bluesky
    I produce video series in partnership with desks across our newsroom that answer key questions about Philadelphia and the region. There are many ways to tell a story — I’m all about finding the one that enhances your daily scroll.
    Thomas Fitzgerald
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    Bluesky
    I'm the Transportation Reporter, covering SEPTA and the other ways we get around. Or sometimes how we're stuck in place. I delve into how transportation policy choices affect people's lives and the built environment.