WASHINGTON — In the latest step for better service for Northeast Corridor passengers, Amtrak officials said in late July that they’ll spend $370 million on new maintenance-of-way equipment over an estimated three-year period. This capital expenditure will accelerate maintenance work, doubling Amtrak engineering work on the Boston to Washington line upon full implementation of the order.
The list of Corridor acquisitions include; a track laying system, two undercutters, five high-speed surfacing machines, reference surfacing and heavy lift cranes for New York’s Penn Station. Additional freight cars and locomotives are also a part to maintain the Northeast Corridor to a state of good repair. An Amtrak representative says the railroad has yet to establish a timeline for the bidding process or an expected in-service date for the equipment.
“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,” says Amtrak Chief Operating Officer Scot Naparstek.
If I somehow became President of Amtrak, I would have several rooms in the Shicago Union Station headhouse converted into an apartment. This would become my primary residence. As sort of a ‘double Bronx cheer’ to the Amtrak Board of Governors, I would also INSIST on outside auditing to get more balance, more trains and higher frequency into the system.
They need to learn that there is a country BEYOND the NEC.
James Shoemaker, Agreed. That’s why in many of my comments about the long-distance trains here and on other platforms I stress the need for funding additional passenger cars to protect the current service and expand it.
George pins yes they have a track playing system but it is not adequate to keep the corridor (and branch lines) in a state of good repair. Now that there is adequate and stable capital funding (212) they are purchasing more equipment to bring the NEC to a state of good repair
An historical tidbit: many years ago an old Pennsy guy commented on a stretch of track between Trenton and Princeton Jct. that had a recurring sag and that the road from the beginning of time had dumped ballast to level. Could have been a primordial clay pit and the proposed solution was to sink pilings down to bedrock.
In the meantime long distance service continues to deteriorate with shortened consist during peak travel season, deteriorating aging equipment and service ‘enhancements’ that are anything but.
Amtrak better get the Northeast Corridor prepared for faster trains before hyperloop takes away their market share.
Didn’t they already have a track laying system? I remember it being featured when the line to Atlantic City was rebuilt. Maybe now obsolete in technology. Anyone know?
Bottom line is that, thanks to foresight of the Pennsy. there exists the so-called NEC, the most vital artery of national transport. To take one’s eye off that issue is BS.
Mike Friedman,
You do know that two Hyperloop demonstration lines are already under construction, don’t you? One in Europe, France to be exact, and one in Las Vegas, it’s already achieved speeds in excess of 250 mph in tests, so I think your vaporware comment is hyperbole.
As for taking market share from Amtrak’s NEC, that I highly doubt, the first practical application will most likely be between two cities that aren’t already hemmed in by massive amounts of already existing infrastructure.
“Hyperloop: Still vaporware in 2050!”
Hyperloop isn’t taking aything