The Berkshire Mountains have long been a popular destination for sightseers, tourists, and weekend warriors. A pilot Amtrak route is designed to attract new waves of New Yorkers to the region.
"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," reports Tom Acitelli.
The route was once a popular route for tourists hoping to leave the city to see the sights of Western Massachusetts, explains Acitelli.
The new Amtrak route would be called the Berkshire Flyer, and the route's funding includes marketing money intended to inspire New Yorkers to take the train for weekend getaways.
The Massachusetts State Legislature is expected to decide on the state budget, which includes $240,000 in core funding for the pilot project, by July 1.
FULL STORY: New York City-to-Berkshires Amtrak pilot could start in 2020, thanks to funding
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