Amtrak is continuing work on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) that connects Washington, D.C., to Boston.
Currently, crews are upgrading 31 miles of track between Washington Union and Baltimore Penn stations. The upgrade will allow the tracks to accommodate higher-speed trains.
Other planned projects include installing new rail, undercutting and realigning track and curves. These improvements are expected to increase reliability and track capacity and improve the quality of the ride.
“The NEC is North America’s a premier passenger rail corridor and improving the infrastructure is essential to maximizing performance for all train services,” Richard Anderson, Amtrak president and CEO, said. “The improvements will offer Amtrak and commuter customers a smoother and more reliable ride.”
Amtrak customers made more than 18 million trips on the NEC in fiscal year 2018, and approximately 2,200 trains take the route daily. Portions of NEC’s infrastructure are more than 100 years old.
In 2021, Amtrak’s next-generation Acela Express fleet will enter service. The trains can travel at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour and will offer hourly service between Boston and Washington, D.C., and cities along the route.
Amtrak also has projects underway at stations in New York City and is developing stations in Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.