Amtrak’s New Era of Rail continues with funding announced for 13 Amtrak-led projects that will modernize the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and unlock major bottlenecks on the busiest passenger railroad in America. 

“Thanks to this new round of competitive grants, Amtrak will continue to deliver a new era of passenger rail and advance vital infrastructure projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and transform this critical corridor that benefits millions of Americans,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner.

Amtrak’s NEC is one of the busiest and economically vital transportation systems in the world, with more than 2,000 daily trains operating over some portions of the Washington-Boston route each day and providing vital connections for seven million jobs within a 5-mile radius of an NEC station.

The competitive grants will support 13 Amtrak-led projects through the Federal Railroad Administrations’ Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP-NEC). This program was created and funded by Congress to address decades of under-investment and help replace aging infrastructure assets, reduce travel times, improve reliability and deliver a modern customer experience for hundreds of millions of riders who travel along the corridor each year.

Amtrak led projects advancing further into planning, development, or construction include:

• Expanding the capacity of New York Penn Station to double passenger train service between New York and New Jersey

• Expanding and modernizing the 115-year-old Washington Union Station

• Addressing near-term needs at Washington Union Station such as relocation of an existing power substation, construction of new digital technology functions, and replacing Amtrak Police Department and employee facilities.

• The Baltimore Penn Station Redevelopment Project

• Replacing the 115-year-old Sawtooth Bridges in Kearny, NJ

• Planning-level study for the replacement of the 120-year-0l Connecticut River Bridge in Windsor Locks, CT

• The Zoo to Paoli electric upgrades between Paoli and Philadelphia, PA

• Construction of a new Substation 41 to improve reliability of commuter services in Kearny, NJ

• Signal system upgrades along 26 miles between New Brunswick and Elizabeth, NJ

• Signal system upgrades between South Bowie, MD and Washington Union Station

• Replacement of approximately 100 miles of catenary wire between Baltimore and New Carrollton, MD

• Catenary system upgrades along 23 miles in Northern New Jersey between County and Newark interlockings

• The addition of a new interlocking in Exton, PA

In addition, Amtrak partners have also received funding to advance mutually beneficial projects, including the New York MTA’s New York Penn Station Reconstruction, CTDOT’s Track Improvement and Mobility Enhancement Project, Hartford Line Rail Program Double Track Project, Cos Cop Bridge Replacement Planning Study, Hartford Station Relocation Project, and SEPTA’s Regional Rail Master Plan Implementation.

Over the past year, Amtrack has advanced several projects funded by the FSP-NEC Program, including breaking ground and beginning construction on a new Connecticut River Bridge, starting the Susquehanna River Bridge Project, demolition and preconstruction activities for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program, and more.