So, a couple of weeks ago as I stood on the train platform at Union Station listening to elected and transportation officials talk about the status of additional passenger train service between here and Boston, I realized that no one acknowledged former state Sen. Eric Lesser.
Now, I realize that U.S. Rep. Richard Neal is worthy of the praise in making happen what will happen in another four years when there will be two more trains going back and forth across the commonwealth. Neal worked hard to convince former Gov. Charlie Baker of the merits of this project and did secure necessary federal dollars. He, of course, is responsible for the rebirth of Union Station as well.
He is indeed to be congratulated as this will be a lasting achievement for this district. Neal has spoken for a number of years of the train system as a compass with Springfield being in the center of an east-west/north-south axis.
In 2029, there will be four trains going west to east at that time as the Lakeshore Limited service will continue to travel through the commonwealth. If the new train service is successful, I’m sure before I do the dirt nap I’ll see additional service.
I welcome the idea of another alternative to the Mass Pike of getting to Boston. If I can take a non-local train there I actually might think of about going there. As it is now, the reason to go to Boston must be something nearly at the life-or-death status for me to venture there.
We now have more north-south trains, both Amtrak and Connecticut commuter, a renovated Union Station and the restoration of the north and south trains serving Holyoke and Northampton, which had been cut out of the former route due to bad tracks.
It may have taken a long time and it may not be everything that we want but our train service is much better than it was, say 20 years ago. It’s a real start in the right direction.
Passenger rail in this region started deteriorating after WWII with the rise of the suburb. Cars were king starting in the 1950s. I first started taking the train to New York City while I was in college. That was a very long time ago and the cars were old, the stations between here and there weren’t very appealing.
I think we will see the start of a culture change in which people will consider using a train instead of driving everywhere as they have in Europe. A system of trains, buses and taxis or ride-share services could be a welcome substitute for sitting on a stopped highway wondering just what is happening, burning up gas, causing stress and adding pollution.
Yes, that might take a generation to see, but I think it will come.
Will the trains be the high-speed trains that once were discussed? No, there won’t be a Massachusetts bullet train. Did I personally want them? Sure. Did I think the state and federal governments would pony up that dough? I wanted to think that but knew it would be a stretch.
How long have we been talking about this? Lesser started speaking about it in 2015, his first month in office. It took until 2018 for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to say it would investigate the possibilities.
In 2021, with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal — thank you President Joe Biden — Amtrak received $68 billion and part of that funding went to this rail project.
Now in 2024, we are told service should start in 2029 — 14 years after Lesser started talking about the impact of adding this transportation service.
Wow.
History should not overlook how many people were involved in making this happen. Neal has taken on a very large role and deserves much credit, but Lesser is the guy who started the current discussion and carried it through despite the naysayers.
I know that many people thought this day would never come and we’re not there yet, but we are close to seeing the start of a true revolution in the way we travel here in Western Massachusetts.
G. Michael Dobbs has worked for Reminder Publishing for 23 years of his nearly 50-year-career in the Western Mass. media scene, and previously served as the executive editor. He has spent his time with the publisher covering local politics, interesting people and events. The opinions expressed within the article are that of the author’s and do not represent the opinions and beliefs of the paper.
