State Rep. Mike Fleck of Huntingdon/Blair/Mifflin counties, on Wednesday pledged to push for funding to maintain the operation of Amtrak’s Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg passenger train, known as the “Pennsylvanian,” which makes stops in Huntingdon, Lewistown and Tyrone.

This fall, federal funding for passenger rail routes of less than 750 miles will no longer be available due to a change in federal law. As a result, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) would have to cover the $5.7 million annual subsidy to operate the rail line.

Gov. Tom Corbett’s Transportation Funding Proposal, unveiled during his budget address on Feb. 5, creates the Multimodal Transportation Fund, which appropriates about $80 million over five years to assist railways, airports, ports and other transit projects.

Fleck points out that at one time, the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg line had the highest ridership numbers in the country, but they slowly declined after Amtrak received a contract from the U.S. Postal Service and concentrated on that part of the business. Fleck added that Amtrak should have increased the number of stops to boost ridership.

Fleck says that in Huntingdon, the train is the only transportation option for many Juniata College students. It’s also used by employees at the Huntingdon and Smithfield state prisons.