The US Department of Transportation has announced USD 5.3 billion in investment in rail projects across the country. The funding will be used to improve safety, upgrade infrastructure and purchase new trains for Amtrak.
The investment was announced by US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy as part of the Trump administration’s programme, which it says aims to usher in a “new golden age” for American rail.
Of the total, USD 2 billion comes from funds saved following the cancellation of California’s high-speed rail project, which has been criticised by the Trump administration over its high costs.
According to the US Department of Transportation, the California project had reached estimated costs of up to USD 231 billion, almost seven times its original 2008 estimate.
The USD 5.3 billion funding package will help eliminate more than 30 railway level crossings and upgrade more than 1,000 others with new infrastructure and technology.
It will also fund the purchase of 43 new US-built trains to replace part of Amtrak’s fleet, as well as the refurbishment of 41 locomotives currently operating on routes in the Midwest and along the Pacific Coast.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has placed particular emphasis on high-risk level crossings. These include crossings where at least three accidents and/or at least two fatal accidents have been recorded over the past five years.
Level crossings, where roads and railway lines intersect at the same level, are the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States. Nationwide, more than 2,000 incidents and around 200 deaths occur at level crossings every year.
A significant share of the investment will also go to Amtrak. The company will receive USD 2.05 billion to purchase the 43 new trainsets, plus a further USD 140 million to refurbish 41 locomotives.
The new trains will replace equipment that is between 40 and 50 years old. The investment is expected to improve the passenger experience while also allowing Amtrak to increase available seating capacity.
Higher capacity could also contribute to lower ticket prices under Amtrak’s dynamic pricing system.
41 projects across 23 states
In total, the funding will support 41 projects across 23 states. These include:
- USD 356 million for the Florida Department of Transportation to repair and upgrade up to 910 level crossings;
- USD 2.5 million for the City of New Orleans, Louisiana, to repair the approximately 70-year-old platforms and canopies at New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal;
- USD 1.1 million for the City of Crete, Nebraska, to assess eight level crossings and determine future infrastructure requirements;
- USD 299 million for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to eliminate nine level crossings, build sections of double track and introduce measures to prevent unauthorised access to railway infrastructure;
- USD 40 million for the City of Fairfield, Ohio, to close two level crossings and build a bridge over part of CSX’s Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision;
- USD 189 million for the Texas Department of Transportation to eliminate nine level crossings in Fort Worth, Dallas and Terrell, plus a further USD 39 million to build a bridge in Hays County.
For Amtrak, the new trains will be introduced on several routes, including Adirondack, Blue Water, Carolinian, Cascades, Empire, Downeaster, Keystone, Hiawatha, Lincoln, Pennsylvanian, Piedmont, River Runner and Wolverine.
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