OK; now I realize that Brightline has opened a thirty mile segment Cocoa-MCO built with (ostensibly) private sector capital and is now operating trains over such. It is further heartening to see that the original segment Miami-WPB, now having been in service for five years, has proven to be more viable than a Disneyland ride charging absurdly low "Tri-Rail level fares. Now, when I "go down" and ride from Boca to get either to Miami or WPB, I find first they no longer charge "Tri Rail fares" and the trains are comfortably full. Of course, I don't think too many from that region are too concerned about what number shows up on their credit card statement for the trip (if they even bother to look at such; after all, it's just paid with an automatic debit). Of course, on either my upcoming January or February trips "down below", I will do a joyride to MCO and return, but it will be just that; a joyride.
Now with this said and the original segment proving to be a commercial success ("jury's still out" on WPB-MCO), will it prove to be a financial success? By such that means the bondholders (reportedly well-connected Floridians) will be paid from the enterprise's till or be bailed out by the State and in which case Brightline will become its "ward" (FL is pro-passenger rail so long as it isn't Amtrak).
All right, enough "off topic" and let's address what we gather here to discuss. Any NY-Scranton service will first need a completed Gateway, which finally looks like "it's gonna happen" and then laying 28 miles of new trackage over a pre-existing right of way, and rebuilding an existing 70 mile FRA Class 2 (with luck) to FRA Class 4.
All of this to serve what - a declining region that can claim for another fourteen months that it was the one-time home of an incumbent POTUS, as well as same for several members here who are rather vocal about their distaste for driving.
Sorry, none of this warrants committing large amounts of public funds to a region that has not seen a scheduled passenger train since pre-A-Day.