WASHINGTON — Four state-supported Amtrak routes, Connecticut’s CTRail, and Florida’s Brightline will receive a total of more than $146 million for service improvements from the Federal Railroad Administration, the agency announced today (Friday, Jan. 10).
The funding comes from the Restoration and Enhancement Grant Program. It was announced at the same time as FRA funding for 123 grade-crossing improvement projects nationwide [see “FRA awards more than $1.1 billion …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 10, 2025].
One of the grants for Amtrak operations, $21.1 million for operating expenses for the still-to-come Gulf Coast service, was announced previously by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker [see “Amtrak Gulf Coast service to receive …,” News Wire, Jan. 6, 2025]. Newly announced are:
— $38.6 million for Amtrak’s Borealis between Chicago and St. Paul, Minn. The funds will cover most of the second-year expenses as well as part of those in years three through six.
— $33.8 million to Brightline to help cover extending train consists from five to seven cars in two increments during 2025, with a sixth car added early in the year and a seventh later.
— $27.1 million to California’s LOSSAN Rail Corridor to help expand Pacific Surfliner service by adding the 11th, 12th, and 13th round trips between Los Angeles and San Diego, restoring service to pre-COVID levels. The funding will support six years of service.
— $14 million to North Carolina’s Piedmont service to help fund the addition of café cars on the four daily roundtrips between Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.
— $11.6 million to expand service on CTRail’s Hartford Line with a ninth daily round trip, as well as adding a weekday round trip between New Haven and Hartford; extending four New Haven-Hartford trains to Windsor Locks, Conn., and extending customer service hours at the Hartford station. The funding will support three years of service, beginning in year four.
More complete descriptions of each of the awards is available here.
— Updated at 8;45 a.m. with link to article on grade-crossing grants.
Subsidies on top of subsidies on top of subsidies.
Along with others on these pages, I have sung the praises of the Boring Alice. And we have ridden it. That said, I don’t know why it needs an operating subsidy in addition to Amtrak’s annual operating subsidy in addition to the funds provided by the states for capital improvements.
To me it’s dishonest accounting. People need to know how much trains cost the taxpayer over and above ticket revenue. Hiding the subsidy in a number of different appropriations doesn’t make it in my opinion.
The Brightline grant is surprising. However, it maybe an offset to the fact that the Feds (USCG) are killing them with that bridge decision in Stuart.