By Tom Acitelli, Curbed Boston; June 12, 2019
A state senator driving the effort to create a passenger rail link between New York City and the Berkshires says funding is nearly in place to launch a pilot program for weekend service in spring 2020. The move would resurrect what was a popular tourist route and perhaps boost the economy of Western Massachusetts that much more.
The state Senate in late May adopted budget amendments that Senator Adam Hinds proposed, including $240,000 to support the core of running a pilot program from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the train station in Pittsfield on weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day in 2020—high season in the Berkshires.