METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Mo., Amtrak to make track improvements

Project will unclog a major “bottleneck” caused by a 25-mile stretch of single track and enable slower freight trains to move off the main line, enabling faster Amtrak trains to pass and reduce delays by nearly 17 percent, annually.

April 28, 2009
1 min to read


On Monday, representatives of the State of Missouri; the city of California, Mo.; Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak kicked off the construction of a new $8.1 million, 9,000-foot railroad side track to add capacity and reduce delays on the route used by Amtrak Missouri River Runner trains between Kansas City and St. Louis.  

The new siding, located just west of California, will unclog a major “bottleneck” caused by a 25-mile stretch of single track and enable slower freight trains to move off the main line, enabling faster Amtrak trains to pass and reduce delays by nearly 17 percent, annually.

Ad Loading...

When finished in December 2009, the siding will accommodate the mile-and-a-half long Union Pacific coal trains that haul low-sulfur coal from Wyoming to electric utilities in the St. Louis area and eastern power generation facilities. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) secured the funding for this project from state funds, complemented with a federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.

This location was chosen after a University of Missouri study estimated a siding in this area would annually reduce delays to Amtrak trains by nearly 17 percent. MoDOT commissioned the study in 2006 in order to determine where rail line capacity enhancements should be made to improve train velocity.

More Rail

A rendering of the Amtrak New York Penn Station renovation
Railby StaffJune 9, 2026

Penn Station Transformation Advances with Design Unveiling

The historic redesign will transform the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere from the tracks to the street level, creating a more efficient, cleaner, and functional experience for more than 600,000 daily commuters and millions of visitors.

Read More →
Groundbreaking event for Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 TBM construction.
Railby StaffJune 9, 2026

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Advances into Major Construction Stage

New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined leadership from the MTA, elected officials, and Harlem community leaders to break ground on the major construction stage of the transformative Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project.

Read More →
A man sits in a passenger rail seat and looks at his phone.
Railby Elora HaynesJune 8, 2026

The Invisible Infrastructure of Passenger Flow

What a seat reservation system on Austria’s Railjet trains reveals about the future of rider experience, and why U.S. agencies should pay attention.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Aerial view of Caltrain's electric service.
Railby StaffJune 5, 2026

Caltrain Board Approves FY27 Budget, Endorses Efficiency Measures

The move ensures Caltrain service will continue operating as usual in the near term, but long-term financial challenges remain for the rail agency absent a new revenue source.

Read More →
Alstom purchasing site for Acela network manufacturing
Railby StaffJune 4, 2026

Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet

The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.

Read More →
World Cup Crowds Will Test Transit Systems
ManagementJune 3, 2026

When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A rendering of a California High-Speed Rail vehicle
Railby StaffJune 2, 2026

California Selects Team for Nation’s First True High-Speed Rail Track and Systems Contract

The board action follows completion of track installation at the 150-acre southern railhead in Kern County, which will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.

Read More →
Sound Transit Sounder train
Railby StaffJune 2, 2026

Seattle's Sound Transit Launches New Sounder Railcars into Service

Alstom manufactured all the cars under a $46.5 million contract and came into service in anticipation of summer crowds for soccer and baseball.

Read More →
Railby StaffJune 2, 2026

Alstom Partners With Universities to Build Rail Talent Pipeline

The partnerships include a new engineering scholarship fund at Alfred State College in Western New York and collaborations with transportation centers at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Managementby StaffJune 1, 2026

Chicago's NITA Act Moves Into Next Phase as Service Improvements Begin

Rider-focused improvements will begin rolling out across the system immediately as CTA, Metra, and Pace increase service this summer in the six-county region.

Read More →