Bill’s billions could modernize aging Amtrak

WASHINGTON — Officials up and down the East Coast have long agitated for money to help replace crumbling bridges and tunnels along the Northeast Corridor, the heavily traveled route between Washington and Boston. After decades of underinvestment, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill President Joe Biden signed last month is poised to deliver much-needed improvements.

The funding includes the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak in 1971, handing the agency billions of dollars to address its repair backlog, modernize its fleet and reduce trip times. The $66 billion in new funding for rail could also fuel Amtrak’s expansion in its routes across the country, an elusive goal that could generate millions more in revenue for the agency and extend its network to new areas.

Still, officials say it will take time for riders to see the full impact since Amtrak will need to ramp up hiring and construction projects could take years. Shortages of electricians, machinists and train operators could also lengthen improvement projects.

The money is intended to help modernize America’s primary rail system, which has long lagged behind Asian and European countries in speed and coverage. In China, officials already have built more than 20,000 miles of high-speed rail and debuted a train that would reach more than 370 mph. In comparison, the fastest Amtrak Acela trains reach 150 mph in a few sections of the Northeast Corridor.

Amtrak, which owns nearly 80% of the Northeast Corridor, is working with members of the Northeast Corridor Commission to determine which improvement projects to make a priority. It will also work with states and other groups to submit applications for a $44 billion pool of money that the Department of Transportation will dole out through competitive grant programs.

Of the $22 billion going to Amtrak, about $6 billion will be used for improvement projects along the Northeast Corridor. The corridor could receive an additional $24 billion through competitive grants.