The latest twist to the ongoing Harrisburg Airport Rail Station debacle
Feb 5, 2009, 2:50 pm
#1
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The latest twist to the ongoing Harrisburg Airport Rail Station debacle
The endless quest to build a rail station on Amtrak's Keystone Corridor to serve Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) takes a new twist. Now, the nearest Amtrak station to the airport may have to close as soon as next year. Why?
Because it's on a curve, that's why.
So now local officials are bickering over what to do with the current Middletown train station. Meanwhile, the costs of building an intermodal station at MDT continue to rise, with no particular reason to think it will happen any time in the next 10 years.
Because it's on a curve, that's why.
So now local officials are bickering over what to do with the current Middletown train station. Meanwhile, the costs of building an intermodal station at MDT continue to rise, with no particular reason to think it will happen any time in the next 10 years.
Feb 5, 2009, 6:40 pm
#4
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The Elizabethtown, PA station (ELT) doesn't appear to be ADA-compliant either. Would all ADA-noncompliant stations be shut down?
Feb 7, 2009, 9:37 am
#5
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What's with this HIA stuff? It's MDT. At least HIA is not a real airport.
POSs are now considered disabled in the US? 
I think it has something to do with a requirement to meet the ADA if you do major renovations/reconstruction (I'm not sure at all about this though).
I think it has something to do with a requirement to meet the ADA if you do major renovations/reconstruction (I'm not sure at all about this though).
Feb 8, 2009, 2:59 am
#6
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In Central PA, many people refer to the Harrisburg International Airport as "HIA", maybe because it sounds trendy, like "BWI" or "JFK" or "IAD" (ok, kidding about the last one). Of course, the airport's code is "MDT", as you say. I think "MDT" refers to Middletown. In conversation, I say "the Harrisburg airport".
Feb 9, 2009, 12:59 am
#7
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In Central PA, many people refer to the Harrisburg International Airport as "HIA", maybe because it sounds trendy, like "BWI" or "JFK" or "IAD" (ok, kidding about the last one). Of course, the airport's code is "MDT", as you say. I think "MDT" refers to Middletown. In conversation, I say "the Harrisburg airport".
It makes me think of TPA, where the local papers have a fetish for Tirania, Albania's airport (TIA).
Mar 18, 2009, 3:47 pm
#8
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Update
Middletown is not losing its train station, contrary to many rumors floating around town.
Toby Fauver, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation deputy secretary for local transportation, said these rumors are “absolutely incorrect.”
Toby Fauver, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation deputy secretary for local transportation, said these rumors are “absolutely incorrect.”
Apr 22, 2009, 11:41 am
#9
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MDT Airport Code
In Central PA, many people refer to the Harrisburg International Airport as "HIA", maybe because it sounds trendy, like "BWI" or "JFK" or "IAD" (ok, kidding about the last one). Of course, the airport's code is "MDT", as you say. I think "MDT" refers to Middletown. In conversation, I say "the Harrisburg airport".
"HIA" (as we're locally referred to as) is strictly for marketing purposes, not FAA assigned.
Apr 30, 2009, 2:21 pm
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Welcome to FlyerTalk! Do you work for the airport? If so, shouldn't your handle be HIA? 
When I try to find flights to HIA, I cannot find any (it doesn't exist). It seems like a TV station on channel 5 advertising itself on a billboard calling itself "Channel 2".
Of course most normal people (e.g. those not on FT) probably type "City, State", not the airport code.
Of course most normal people (e.g. those not on FT) probably type "City, State", not the airport code.
May 1, 2009, 1:24 pm
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May 22, 2009, 7:21 am
#12
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[QUOTE=ralfp;11672852]Welcome to FlyerTalk! Do you work for the airport? If so, shouldn't your handle be HIA?
When I try to find flights to HIA, I cannot find any (it doesn't exist)...QUOTE]
Yes, I do work for the airport. You won't find "HIA" if you enter it into a flight search tool. Either search by city, state or "MDT".
FYI: Latest press on the search for a new train station location in Middletown, http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...ion_on_mi.html.
When I try to find flights to HIA, I cannot find any (it doesn't exist)...QUOTE]
Yes, I do work for the airport. You won't find "HIA" if you enter it into a flight search tool. Either search by city, state or "MDT".
FYI: Latest press on the search for a new train station location in Middletown, http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...ion_on_mi.html.
Oct 27, 2010, 3:52 pm
#13
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Middletown train station site narrowed to 2 options
A decision on which of two sites will be chosen for the new Amtrak station serving the Middletown area is expected in the next two weeks, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/ind...n_station.html
At this point, one of the options is still an inter-modal station at/near MDT airport. I used to favor that...but I can also see the value of a station closer to downtown. Ironically, the "downtown" station is still practically right next to the airport and would still be closer to the terminal than the intermodal station at BWI, for instance. You'd think they could run a shuttle van between MDT (airport) and MDT (Amtrak). It'd just be a 5-minute drive o/w. There's plenty of Keystone departures to justify this...whether there are enough pax using MDT (airport) to justify this is another question.
Nov 2, 2010, 5:17 am
#14
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)
That's like my hometown airport, GSO, going by PTI for marketing purposes. Annoys the heck out of me.
That's like my hometown airport, GSO, going by PTI for marketing purposes. Annoys the heck out of me.
Dec 7, 2010, 3:41 pm
#15
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New station site chosen. It's not at the airport, but:
We'll see if that actually happens. Of course, it's gonna be 3 years until it opens. Still, if the shuttle service is implemented, it adds another air-rail connection in Amtrak's system. While this site isn't as close to the airport as it could have been, it's probably going to be a comparable or shorter shuttle bus ride than BWI or MKE, for example. (And with far more train options, albeit fewer flights, than MKE,)
Tim Edwards, HIA executive director, said the airport will work with PennDOT to have a shuttle connect the airport to the station.