By David Scribner
August 30, 2011
Restoring rail passenger service to the New York Metropolitan Area would provide a major boost to the Berkshire economy, both during the reconstruction of the rail line and into the future, as energy efficient access to the Berkshires promotes increased travel, raises property values and encourages the establishment of satellite business operations of New York firms.
Berkshire Railroad's cars are ready to go, waiting patiently in Housatonic MA
Over the next decade, a year-long economic impact study has concluded, the passenger service would pump $625 million into the region abutting the rail line, extending from Danbury, Conn., north to the Berkshires. Of that, $240 million would be realized within the Berkshires, along with the addition of more than 300 jobs.
“The potential benefits of the passenger rail service are substantial,” explained Williams College economist Stephen C. Sheppard, who developed the assessment on behalf of the Canaan, Conn.-based Housatonic Railroad that owns the rail corridor. “The value of the benefits is large compared to the investment. Projects like this have the potential to revive the fortunes of what was once a threadbare manufacturing region by providing the means to establish a diverse, modern economic base.”
