Amtrak to improve Northeast Corridor with $370 million

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Posted: 30 July 2018 | Global Railway Review |

Amtrak is working towards a smoother, more reliable service along the U.S. Northeast Corridor by investing in new equipment and station developments.

Keystone Train passing Bristol Clock Tower on the NEC. Credit: Amtrak

Amtrak has announced the decision to invest $370 million over an estimated three-year period for new equipment that will improve the overall experience for those travelling along the Northeast Corridor (NEC).

The purchase of this new equipment will double Amtrak engineering efforts on the NEC; accelerating maintenance work.

“More than 890,000 Amtrak customers and commuter passengers rely on the Northeast Corridor for transportation every day and we are working to make their ride smoother and more reliable,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Scot Naparstek.

Amtrak is investing in one track-laying system, two undercutters, five high-speed surfacing machines, reference surfacing, heavy lift cranes for New York Penn Station and the necessary freight cars and locomotive power to help sufficiently advance the Northeast Corridor to a state of good repair.

These upgrades will significantly improve train on-time performance and the quality of customer experience with smoother rides. Customers consistently rate schedule reliability as the primary factor in judging their satisfaction with Amtrak services.

In addition to these investments, Amtrak is working to advance other long-term upgrades such as buying modern train equipment (including new Acela trainsets), ongoing Concourse Management Strategy studies of New York Penn Station and further developing stations in Chicago Washington, D.C., Baltimore-Penn, Philadelphia 30th Street and the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York.