A new long-term plan for Amtrak would include rerouting its Northeast Corridor tracks under the Philadelphia International Airport and then back to their current course in Eddystone — if the ambitious eight-state, $120 billion proposal can find funding over the coming 30 years.

The Federal Railroad Administration just released the Amtrak vision, called the NEC Future project, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report by Jason Laughlin.

“There’s no doubt this is the first time anything of this scope has been done,” National Association of Railroad Passengers Vice President of Operations Bruce Becker said. “It is the first time there’s been a global approach.”

While the overall plan is expected to shorten the trip to Washington, D.C., by 20 minutes and the trip to New York City by 15 minutes, Philadelphia would see the removal of its deadly Frankford curve and the potentially popular airport service, with new Amtrak stations both there and in Eddystone.

“It certainly would connect us more up and down the East Coast, and that would be wonderful,” airport spokeswoman Mary Flannery said.

If built, train traffic at the airport would more than quadruple, from 72 trains per day to 332. Currently, only SEPTA serves the airport, bringing 7,150 people to the hub, where 86,000 airplane passengers come and go each day.

Read more about the new Amtrak proposal in the Philadelphia Inquirer here, and check out previous airport coverage on DELCO Today here.