Amtrak Applies for $7.3 Billion in Federal Grants to Advance Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Upgra

Here's a pretty good list of capital improvements costing $7.3b.

roposals seek to enhance customer experience on NEC routes

WASHINGTON – Amtrak has submitted applications for nearly $7.3 billion in Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) funding for 14 proposed Northeast Corridor projects to modernize critical infrastructure, improve stations and expand Amtrak service.

“In order for Amtrak to continue advancing a new era of passenger rail, we must make generational investments that require federal funding,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “Securing these grants would help reaffirm our commitment to improving and replacing critical railroad infrastructure, ensuring better service for years to come.”

The requested funding would provide the resources necessary to begin construction on several major backlog projects. Amtrak and its partners have been working to advance these projects through the design and engineering phases to prepare for the start of major construction.

The applications were submitted through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP-NEC Program).

Example Northeast Corridor projects include:

B&P Tunnel Replacement (Frederick Douglass Tunnel) Program
East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project
Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project
Connecticut River Bridge Replacement Project
Springfield Line: Connecticut River Bridge Replacement Project
Bush River Bridge Replacement Program
Gunpowder River Bridge Replacement Program
Pelham Bay Bridge Replacement Project
Infrastructure Renewal and Speed Improvement Program (Washington, DC to New Jersey)
New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study
Baltimore Penn Station: Master Plan
Multiple Phase II Gateway Program Projects: New York Penn Station Expansion, Sawtooth Bridges Replacement, Highline Renewal and State of Good Repair – Dock Bridge

In addition to these NEC grant applications submitted in conjunction with various partners, Amtrak also applied for several grants to improve Long Distance and State Supported routes and provided letters of support for 23 Northeast Corridor projects submitted by others.

Good news, of course - but much of this is underway or partially funded from other sources.

I also wish that they would add a bit more flavor as to the immediate beenfits (e.g. line speed goes from X to Y, or this will save an average of 2 mins per Amtrak journey) - it feels like all of these incremental schemes which knock of a minute here, two there, are what add up to meaningful cuts to journey times on the NEC - especially NYC-BOS which really needs them - but it's not clear what they all equate to.

And everyone knows that in isolation they will be absorbed into schedules as padding.