Amtrak is set to invest $370m over a period of three years into the upgrade of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that connects eight US states and the District of Columbia.
As part of the investment, the company will buy a range of new equipment, including one track-laying system, two undercutters, five high-speed surfacing machines, reference surfacing and heavy lift cranes for New York Penn Station.
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Amtrak will also purchase a number of freight cars and locomotives to help advance the NEC to a state of good repair.
The proposed upgrades are expected to enhance trains’ on-time performance and provide improved customer experience with smoother rides.
The installation of the new equipment is also set to double Amtrak’s engineering efforts on the NEC, speeding up maintenance works.
Amtrak executive vice-president and chief operating officer Scot Naparstek said: “More than 890,000 Amtrak customers and commuter passengers rely on the Northeast Corridor for transportation every weekday and we are working to make their ride smoother and more reliable.”
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By GlobalDataThe company currently owns nearly 80% share in NEC, which is used to move intercity riders, as well as offer access and/or operational support to eight commuter lines and six freight operators.
The NEC is estimated to serve more than 260 million passenger trips annually, with traveller numbers forecast to reach over a half billion by 2040.
Amtrak is also concentrating on advancing other long-term upgrades such as buying modern train equipment, including new Acela trainsets, the ongoing Concourse Management Strategy studies of New York Penn Station and the further development of stations, including Chicago and Washington.
