The fledgling Amtrak train service between New York and Pittsfield returns Friday with an extended season. Ridership this season could clear the way for the Berkshire Flyer's future.
When a passenger train pulled into downtown Pittsfield last Friday evening, it brought with it the second leg of a two-year pilot program for the Berkshire Flyer. By all lights, last year’s run was a success, and we hope this effort to boost the region’s rail connections stays on track for this extended season as well.
The Flyer offers those in New York City a weekender trip to the Berkshires. Passengers can depart from Penn Station on a Friday afternoon, arrive at Pittsfield’s Intermodal Transportation Center that evening and then return to NYC on a Sunday afternoon (with a Monday return trip instead for Labor Day weekend).
After one month of rides, some passengers on the Berkshire Flyer are hoping to see more options for arrivals and departures in Pittsfield.
The dedicated line linking the Big Apple and Berkshire County gives New Yorkers a traffic-free escape from the hustle-bustle to a landscape of rural beauty and cultural gems, while our region’s critical tourism sector benefits from increased patronage and foot traffic. That formula certainly makes sense, though the Berkshire Flyer’s initial pilot run last summer frankly exceeded our expectations for participation. We figured the Flyer’s rigid schedule might limit potential passengers’ willingness or ability to get on board. Yet while many Flyer users voiced a desire for more options in coming and going, more than a few still made the trip throughout the summer — a lot more. The rider enthusiasm on the Flyer pilot’s maiden voyage last year seemed to largely keep pace throughout the season with the NYC-to-Pittsfield trains often at full carrying capacity.
We’re willing and happy to admit that we underestimated the Flyer’s potential as displayed last year, though there’s still much to be gleaned from this summer’s second phase of the pilot. This year’s run will be longer, launching Memorial Day weekend compared to last year’s July start. A release by the state’s Department of Transportation in April termed the first year of the Flyer a “success” but said its future still relies on the interest and loyalty of riders this season.
Still, the momentum gained last year for the Flyer’s takeoff this summer says a lot for the efforts of advocates and planners who worked for years to make this pilot possible. It also speaks volumes about the draw of the Berkshires even through a rail line with a relatively niche schedule. That highlights the ridership potential and wisdom of investment in other ambitious passenger rail connections to our region — particularly West-East rail.
Last year’s Berkshire Flyer run demonstrated real demand enough to pleasantly surprise us. Here’s hoping that demand and its knock-on benefits for the region stay on track. If this summer’s run can build on and sustain that success through the pilot’s completion, who knows what the future might hold — not just for expansion of the Flyer but the broader future of the state of transit in Berkshire County.