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Lancaster, PA has the fifth most Amtrak riders per capita, and I believe its success is a model for what rail should look like in mid-sized cities everywhere. I talk about it in my latest piece, "What Amish Country Can Teach Us About the Future of Rail." thetransitguy.substack.com/p/what-amish...

thetransitguy.substack.comWhat Amish Country Can Teach us About The Future of RailThe Lancaster Model: Why a Small PA Town is Beating Your City at Rail

12/5/26, 1:08 pm8 reposts31 likes

Ray Goldfield

@raygoldfield.bsky.social

12 May

The town has a fairly amazing public transit network across the city, actually. I visit there a few times a year for concerts and food-shopping, and it's very easy to get around.

mtsw

@mtsw.bsky.social

12 May

It seems like an oversight to do an article about high ridership in Lancaster without noting that it's mostly because of Amish culture? The Amish are allowed to use trains in their religion but not airplanes or cars so they are big Amtrak customers for long and medium distance travel

mtsw

@mtsw.bsky.social

12 May

That, not anything about policy or schedule design, seems like it would be the big factor in high per capita ridership. It's like writing a piece on low alcohol sales in Utah without mentioning Mormons

frostellicus

@maxellxlii.bsky.social

12 May

We should all know this…Witness came out in 1985!

mtsw

@mtsw.bsky.social

12 May

Ya lol I was gonna mention WITNESS. I also live near Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego and see Amish hanging out there all the time, seemingly the only place you'll ever see them in SoCal

lucygoosey70.bsky.social

@lucygoosey70.bsky.social

12 May

lol. Yes, the trains from Harrisburg to Philly are packed with Amish commuters. No. They aren’t. You might see one Amish family on a train. Most times none.

Burnished rows of steel

@acreed.bsky.social

12 May

It’s not really the Amish though. It’s the regular frequent service between Harrisburg and Philadelphia. I had neighbors who commuted into Philly via train and I commuted into Harrisburg.

dusty.rhodes

@dustyrhodes.bsky.social

12 May

that Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Allentown/Bethlehem lack direct rail service is, and has been for as long as i have memory, a capsule indictment of railways in the US. both have daily commuters to PHL & NYC who would be perfectly served by a railroad and instead waste time, energy &focus on driving.