Amtrak gets $1.3 billion in capital funding from stimulus

In the past two weeks, I've been fortunate to be able to announce the release of funds from the recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for several different projects, projects that put Americans to work while also positioning the American economy for the future.

Today's good news, however, is a capital investment in America's rail capacity. And, by now everyone knows that any significant Amtrak announcement ought to be handled by one of its most faithful passengers, Vice President Joe Biden.

So, today Vice President Biden announced $1.3 billion in grants to Amtrak. This roughly doubles the size of Amtrak's capital investment program over a two-year period. Funds will be used to upgrade railroad assets and infrastructure and for capital projects that expand passenger rail capacity. In the spirit of the stimulus, these funds will create jobs near recently closed manufacturing facilities in areas that have been hard hit by the economic downturn.

We're putting idle cars back in service. We're rebuilding key elements of the power supply that have been in service since the 1920s. And, we're installing positive-train-control for increased safety.

A while ago I told National Public Radio that rail travel would be "a transformational issue for this administration when it comes to transportation," and this grant, managed by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), begins to make good on that claim.  As James RePass, leader of the National Corridors Initiative said, "Suddenly, we have a president who absolutely, positively gets it." Columnist Neal Pierce says the change in rail policy by this administration "couldn't be more dramatic."

We are committed to a modern rail system-for freight, for passengers, for America.

Comments

[Christine]

Our train systems could really improve if they had a little more robotic control to them. Like this: http://fearthebots.com/story.php?title=trains-begin-to-go-robotic---completely-computer-controlled

The computer controls the train and communicates with other robot controlled trains. The end result is a safer and faster ride.

I hope some of the money can jumpstart some robotics research for high-traffic areas.

[Lisa]

I know this will create jobs, but will they be long term?

[John Miller]

I'm happy to see a significant investment in Amtrak, which, since its inception has been a fledgling quasi-governmental failure.

My primary concern is the possibility that these funds will be wasted - not in the sense of misuse of the stimulus funding, but out of concern for a lack of future funding to upgrade the Amtrak network. $1.3 billion is evidently negligible compared to the heavy investment required to modernize the Amtrak network. Without a commitment to such investment over the next several decades, any modernization efforts in the near term will be wasted time and money.

The viability of Amtrak as a means of affordable, sustainable nationwide travel hinges on this long-term commitment. The Obama administration has demonstrated such a commitment, thus the major remaining hurdle is the commitment and leadership of Congress. If Congress rallies behind this high-speed rail initiative, perhaps Amtrak can, one day, become a profitable self-sustaining entity.

[Rachel Urbigkeit]

I appreciate the Obama administration's investment in Amtrak and the message it sends regarding the commitment to sustainable transportation. It will take a long-term investment to modernize the rail infrastucture. I am only familiar with West Coast routes but I know many people who are frustrated with the time delays due to freight priority on the tracks. I hope this initial funding will encourage future investment in dedicated high-speed tracks.