Last month it was announced that without funding from the state Amtrak service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg would be shut down in October.
That news frustrated riders in the region, and Friday some of them let their voice be heard in front of their local leadership in Huntingdon.
State Representatives Mike Fleck and Dick Hess, along with other community leaders voiced their concerns over the potential loss of Amtrak services, and then took time to listen to concerned riders.
"We do not have mass transportation in Huntingdon County. This is at least one opportunity we have to go places without using the gas it takes to drive an automobile," Matt Kane of Alexandria says.
About 200,000 people used the Amtrak train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg last year including 6,000 at the Huntingdon stop alone.
"A lot of breaks I can't stay at school so I need to find a place to go," Juniata College Student Ming Wei Song says.
Song is an international student from China at Juniata College.
Since she doesn't have a car the train is one of few options.
"The train is basically the most convenient for me to get out of town so it really is important to us," Song says.
New federal guidelines require states to pay for any railway under 750 miles. The 440 mile track that runs through Huntingdon is estimated to cost the state $5.7 million.
"We are running out of funds and the new package that the governor has proposed in his budget for funding intermodal transportation is a big step toward applying things like this throughout the state," District 78 Representative Dick Hess says.
And with more than 100 supporters on hand for the rally, the chairman of the state's transportation committee was happy to express his optimism that the route will be saved by the October deadline.
"I think it will be. I really think it will be. If the secretary and I have anything to do with it, it will be here," Hess says.
Representative Hess says he plans to meet with fellow legislators in the coming weeks to figure out a plan to raise funds to keep the service.
That news frustrated riders in the region, and Friday some of them let their voice be heard in front of their local leadership in Huntingdon.
State Representatives Mike Fleck and Dick Hess, along with other community leaders voiced their concerns over the potential loss of Amtrak services, and then took time to listen to concerned riders.
"We do not have mass transportation in Huntingdon County. This is at least one opportunity we have to go places without using the gas it takes to drive an automobile," Matt Kane of Alexandria says.
About 200,000 people used the Amtrak train between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg last year including 6,000 at the Huntingdon stop alone.
"A lot of breaks I can't stay at school so I need to find a place to go," Juniata College Student Ming Wei Song says.
Song is an international student from China at Juniata College.
Since she doesn't have a car the train is one of few options.
"The train is basically the most convenient for me to get out of town so it really is important to us," Song says.
New federal guidelines require states to pay for any railway under 750 miles. The 440 mile track that runs through Huntingdon is estimated to cost the state $5.7 million.
"We are running out of funds and the new package that the governor has proposed in his budget for funding intermodal transportation is a big step toward applying things like this throughout the state," District 78 Representative Dick Hess says.
And with more than 100 supporters on hand for the rally, the chairman of the state's transportation committee was happy to express his optimism that the route will be saved by the October deadline.
"I think it will be. I really think it will be. If the secretary and I have anything to do with it, it will be here," Hess says.
Representative Hess says he plans to meet with fellow legislators in the coming weeks to figure out a plan to raise funds to keep the service.
