Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority

Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority is a bi-county creation of both Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania and Monroe County, Pennsylvania to oversee the use of common rail freight lines in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

From Scranton Northeast to the city of Carbondale on the former Delaware and Hudson Railway's Pennsylvania Branch/Penn Division main line, from Scranton Southeast into Monroe County on the former Scranton to Slateford part of the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad main line now called the Pocono Mainline (also known as Pocono Main), towards New Jersey and the New York City market, and from Scranton Southwest to Montage Mountain, Moosic on lines of the former Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad third-rail interurban streetcar line. The Pocono Mainline has hosted a number of excursions, including excursions of the Nickel Plate 765.^[1][2]

Overview

Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, and Monroe County, Pennsylvania, agreed to merge their rail authorities.

The consensus reached was that the operation of the railroad needed to be a multi-county venture and that a regional approach was necessary as trackage begins and ends outside individual county boundaries. In addition, it was felt that the pooling of resources was necessary in order to operate a railroad in a very competitive environment and, conversely, to obtain the funding necessary to operate a railroad from the State and Federal governments.

The Lackawanna Railroad Authority, established in 1985 has over 16 million dollars in assets and operates more than 66 miles (106 km) of track in Lackawanna, Wayne and Monroe Counties. The Monroe County Rail Authority was created in 1980, and controls over 12 million dollars in assets with trackage totaling 29 miles (47 km).

Its primary objective is to re-establish rail passenger service with New Jersey Transit between Scranton and Hoboken, New Jersey by way of the Lackawanna Cut-Off, with connecting service into Manhattan, New York.

The designated freight operator of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority lines is the Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad and tourism operator is Steamtown National Historic Site.

Board Members

From Monroe County, PA;
A. Bob Hay, Chairman- 5 year term
B. Greg Christine- 4 year term
C. Paul Caneveri- 3 year term
D. Andy Forte- 2 year term
E. Peter Ahnert, Jr.- Alternate

These terms were approved by Monroe County Commissioners on May 3, 2006.^[3] On January 21, 2009 Mr. Forte was approved by Monroe County, PA commissioners for a second 2 year term.^[4]

Lackawanna County, PA appointed its members to the PNERRA on June 20, 2006, however because that county does not publish detailed commissioners' meeting agendas,^[5] only one Lackawanna County, PA appointee is known;

Dominic Keating, former Chairman, Lackawanna County Rail Authority^[6]

Staff

The Lackawanna County Rail Authority’s former management team, consisting of Co–Chief Executives James Finan and Larry Malski, run the day to day operations for the merged entity.^[7]

The PNERRA also employs "Director of Administration" Charlene W. Doyle^[8]

Awards

In 2007 the Agency received the 5th Annual John J. Luciania Award for regionalism from the NEPA Alliance, the Agency that serves as the RPO and MPO for the two regions that are working together to implement passenger rail.^[9]

References

• Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority