Yes, it's fair to say Pittsburgh should have more Amtrak service.
Here are the rubs, in no particular order:
- Norfolk Southern, Norfolk Southern, and Norfolk Southern (EPA regulations on coal have made them change their tune, though)
- West of Pittsburgh would be nice, too
- Rolling stock & locomotives
- Long-term parking close to stations
- Access to NYP
As I note, coal traffic on NS had gone down, so now they seem open for more Amtrak service between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.
Ideally, we would have morning, noon, and night service between Pittsburgh and NYC. This may surprise people, but I have a gut feeling a train departing NYP about 12:30a to Pittsburgh, arriving in the AM, might well find a market.
However, rolling stock and locomotives would have to magically appear, along with the funding to run them. PA residents have seen a massive increase in gasoline prices to bail out both SEPTA and PAT, both of which have serious needs.
(We note PRR Pittsburgh commuter service between Derry, PA, and Burgettstown, PA, went away in 1963. Panhandle Line is now a bike trail. AFAIK, only stations that might work after rehabbing would be Wilkinsburg, Greensburg (current Amtrak stop), and Latrobe (Amtrak flag stop).)
To the best of my knowledge, convenient long-term parking west of Harrisburg only exists at Pittsburgh and Greensburg. It's an issue for longer trips.
Finally, while we might turn service west of Harrisburg into through trains to NYP, do the track slots exist when we need them.
Show me the money before talking up more intercity passenger rail service in western PA. Not trying to be cynical here -- just realistic.