DOT grants to Northeast Corridor will add jobs, continue to deliver high-speed rail to America

When federal rail investments create 12,000 new jobs and improve the infrastructure that keeps our economy moving, that's a win for America.

That's exactly what's happening right now along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor as DOT continues its unprecedented investment in this valuable rail line.  The nearly $745 million we committed yesterday will increase reliability and allow for the fastest passenger train speeds ever achieved in North America.

The Northeast Corridor will use nearly $450 million to improve electrical systems and tracks between Trenton, NJ, and New York City.  This is the corridor's most heavily used section, but some of the catenary wiring--the electrical lines above the trains--dates back to the 1930s.  Boosting and stabilizing the power supply, modernizing signals, and upgrading track will soon have Acela Express trains reaching top speeds of 160 mph.  That's a considerable increase over today's 135 mph top speed. 

Even better?  When Amtrak purchases next generation trains, passengers will travel at world-class speeds of 186 mph along the improved track.  That puts America well on its way to a high-speed, intercity passenger rail network even as it puts workers back on the job.

Another nearly $295 million will relieve delays for trains going in and out of Manhattan.  Improvements to the Harold Interlocking rail junction in Queens--America's busiest passenger rail junction--will eliminate congestion between intercity and commuter trains and allow for the growth of high-speed service we're developing along the corridor.

Together, these two projects are expected to generate 12,000 direct and indirect jobs.  Through the Obama Administration’s strict implementation of the “Buy America” requirement, the opportunity for U.S. suppliers is tremendous as miles of wire and track, hundreds of catenary poles, new switches, concrete ties, bridges, signal towers, retaining walls, and a large volume of electrical equipment will be purchased for these important upgrades.

Creating thousands of jobs now is a terrific benefit, and I know those workers will be happy to get to their jobsites, do what they do best, and bring home a paycheck for their families.  But, the results these workers deliver will also boost our economy by improving mobility up and down the Northeast Corridor's rails and roads. 

Every passenger working on a laptop or tablet while enjoying one of Amtrak's smooth-riding trains means one less car on a congested highway.  And, for truck drivers trying to deliver the goods in the nation's most densely populated region--where adding highway capacity is prohibitively expensive--that is a huge bonus.

As Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo said, “With our population expected to grow by 100 million more people between now and 2050, we are investing in a rail system that reduces congestion and improves the efficiency and reliability of travel in America."

Creating new construction jobs, ordering US-made supplies, and improving transportation opportunities across a region where 50 million Americans live and work--this is the kind of investment we owe today's workers.  This is the kind of investment we owe the next generation of Americans.

Comments

[Joseph]

Creating jobs and improving infrastructure. Two things that everyone says need to happen are finally happening. As a regular Northeast Corridor rider, I'm so happy to finally see this happen. I look forward to Amtrak's improved reliability and even higher speed trains along the corridor in the future.

[Gorm]

Amtrak can't afford new trains. The ones they have now are deplorable already with an awful propulsion system Which is weak. The whole engine is cheaply made by bombardier who, these days, makes some of the worst rolling stock unlike Rotem.

Amtrak should just cease to exist. It just gets in the way and provides a nascence to local transit agencies because deal with amtraks laziness an lack of upkeep is simply disgusting. Amtrak sucks. Put the money to LOCAL transit agencies that need the funds. Rather than wasting on Amtrak. Amtrak is trash.

[Evan for Basic Puppy Training]

I remember in the late '80s traveling on the high speed trains (TGV) in France. It is bizarre that the U.S. is so far behind on transportation. This is an exciting post--as you've pointed out, the benefit gained from bringing the technology up to date is huge and potentially reaches out to everyone in America. As you said above, "This is the kind of investment we owe the next generation of Americans."

[Joy Hance]

With all due respect, being able to travel at 196 rather than 135 mph up and down the northeast corridor doesn't mean anything to the rest of the country who can't even get from one state to another reliably because the country's only long-distance bus line, Greyhound, is in a state of total degradation and collapse. I'm really tired of hearing about high-speed rail. It has a very limited ability to deliver service, like Amtrak. Please provide some oversight to the motor coach industry so that the rest of America can get around.

[Patrick]

Thanks for putting Florida's money to good use here in the NEC. Is Gov. Scott still the least popular governor in the country?

[Marc Savoie]

As an American expat living in France, I have been scratching my head for years at the US's lack of high-speed rail (HSR), and more importantly, at the general public's lack of interest in it. HSR has truly revolutionized local and national economies in France, linking smaller towns to larger cities and thus far improving business trade as well as enjoyable holiday travel. I have followed each press release since the announcement of HSR creation in America, and this is one of the most exciting posts. Secretary LaHood, let's remember still that the US has only one HSR line, and it doesn't even come close to meeting European standards for HSR: the Acela currently rides the NE Corridor at an average of 68mph. Americans need to see the potential to understand it, that taking the train is easier, faster, more reliable, less expensive, and more enjoyable than driving, in the case of city to city trips. The Chicago/MidWest and Californian projects are the most exciting. However I do not understand the investment of $1.1B on one line (St Louis to Chicago) for a max-speed of 110mph. Large investments are necessary but best spent on fewer sites to achieve true HSR speeds of 186 - 220mph. Since the St Louis population lives almost exclusively outside St Louis city, and they'd need time to travel in to the rail station, they'd need to see a journey to Chicago possible in 2-3 hours to save enough time over the 4-5 hour trip by car without passing into St Louis and parking. I am thrilled nonetheless with this above announcement and continue to hope for further implementations of 186mph or more corridors, providing necessary and compelling infrastructure, job creation, relief to overcrowded highways, and a lower carbon footprint.