Less than a week after Chester County published a transportation study that set the return of commuter rail service to Phoenixville as a long-term goal, a railroad consultant says it can be accomplished sooner, writes Evan Brandt for the Daily Local News.

In his presentation held at the end of last month, Thomas E. Frawley stated there are “no technological obstacles to a demonstration project or permanent rail service” returning to Phoenixville.

The meeting was attended by citizen planners and representatives from SEPTA and Chester County.

Frawley informed the task force that there are two major obstacles to be addressed: the operational and infrastructure requirements of SEPTA and Norfolk-Southern and finding a funding source.

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Brian Styche, transportation services director for the Chester County Planning Commission, had emphasized that affordability will be hard to come by. But Frawley’s initial investigation suggests the whole process could be done for much less.

His assessment puts the price of expanding SEPTA’s R-6 suburban rail line to Phoenixville at just under $15 million, plus an annual $2.7 million for operations and maintenance.

Now, the task force will ask borough council for permission to pursue a further assessment of the project.

Read more about the possibility of commuter rail service returning to Phoenixville in the Daily Local News here.

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