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Coronavirus Resources for Transit and Intercity Rail

January 28, 2021

A resource page tracking financial aid for intercity rail operators and transit agencies, and potential projects to help get our economy back on track.

The Biden Administration has called on Congress to pass a final COVID-19 relief bill to fund vaccine distribution and help state and local governments maintain essential services. Senate leaders, who have said transportation and transit will benefit from this legislation, are targeting passage by the end of March 2021.

Based on conversations with congressional allies, Rail Passengers believes this legislation will allow us to restore daily service to Amtrak's long-distance routes, maintain Amtrak's State-supported and commuter trains, support the Northeast Corridor, and provide a critical lifeline for public transit agencies across the U.S.

We need your help! Please write or call your members of congress asking them to support passenger rail and bring back service!

Write your Members of Congress

Call your Members of Congress

Thank you for supporting our effort. If you think passengers deserve a voice in the halls of Congress, I hope you can make a special donation. Your generosity allows us to keep fighting on behalf of passengers.

Donate Now

With gratitude,

Jim Mathews, President & CEO
Rail Passengers Association


Investing in Passenger Rail for Economic Recovery

Rail Passengers believes that intercity passenger rail and transit have an important role to play in getting our economy back on track. As Congress considers further phases of coronavirus response, we will be developing a list of shovel-ready rail projects that are able to move quickly if funding becomes available. These projects will get Americans back to work by creating construction and manufacturing. They are also investments in a better, more efficient U.S. transportation system that will return dividends for generations to come.

State Project List

Location

Agency

Project

Impacted Region

Total Project Cost (millions)

CA

Caltrans

Pacific Surfliner: Raymer to Bernson Double-Track PE/NEPA

Southwest

$86

CA

Caltrans

Pacific Surfliner: Elvira to Morena Double-Track PE/NEPA

Southwest

$87

CA

The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Authority

High Desert Corridor

Southwest

$1,760

CA

California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSR)

San Jose to San Francisco

Southwest

$2,300

CA

California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSR)

Burbank to Anaheim

Southwest

$5,000

CA

California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSR)

Valley to San Jose

Southwest

$15,000

CA

California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSR)

Palmdale to Burbank

Southwest

$17,000

CA

Van Nuys North Platform Preliminary Engineering/National Environmental
Policy Act

Southwest

$36

CA

Eastbrook to Shell Double-Track Bridge PE/NEPA CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$50

CA

San Dieguito Bridge and Del Mar Platform PE/NEPA CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$162

CA

Ortega Siding PE/NEPA CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$25

CA

Seacliff Track Realignment and Siding Extension PE/NEPA CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$32

CA

Carlsbad Village Double-Track PE/NEPA CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$33

CA

Sorrento to Miramar Phase 2 Double-Track PE/NEPA - CA - Pacific Surfliner

Southwest

$85

CA

California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSR)

Transbay Transit Center Program

Southwest

$3,004

CA

LA Union Station SCRIP/LINK

Southwest

$2,246

CN, MA

NHHS, ConDOT, MassDOT

Hartford to Springfield

Northeast

$433

DC

Washington Union Station (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

$7,500

DC, VA

DCDOT

Long Bridge Project

Mid-Atlantic

$1,900

DC, VA

VDOT

Southeast High Speed Rail: D.C. - Richmond, VA

Mid-Atlantic

$2,000

GA, NC

GDOT, SCDOT, NCDOT

Atlanta to Charlotte

Southeast

$1,600

IA, IL, NE

IA DOT, IL DOT

Chicago - Iowa City - Omaha

Midwest (GLW), Mountain & Plains

$1,200

IL

Chicago Union Station

Midwest (GLW)

$1,041

IL, IN, MI

MDOT

Chicago - Detroit

Midwest

$2,980

IL, MO

Chicago-St. Louis Doubletrack: Springfield Track Relocation

Midwest (GLW)

$315

IL, MO

IDOT

Chicago to St. Louis HSR

Midwest (GLW)

$2,000

KS

City of Lawrence, KS - Amtrak Station Improvements - PE/NEPA

Moutains & Plains

$1

KS, NE, TX

Extending Heartland Flyer to Newton, KS; new daytime Fort Worth-Kansas City train

Mountains & Plains, South Central

$475

MA

Housatonic Line Project

Northeast

$400

MA

MassDOT

East-West Rail Link

Northeast

$3,000

MA

Boston South Station Expansion and Layover Facility Project (NEC Future)

Northeast

$325

MD

PE/NEPA for BWI Area Improvements (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

MD

Susquehanna Bridge Reconstruction and Expansion Project (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

$1,442

MD

Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel - Preliminary Engineering and National Environmental Policy Act Study (NEC Future)

Mid-Altantic

$4,520

MD

Howard Street Tunnel

Mid-Atlantic

$445

MN

MnDOT

Northern Lights Express (NLX)

Midwest (GLW)

$820

MO

MO DOT

St. Louis to Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$500 -1000

MO

Hermann Universal Crossover St. Louis - Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$6

MO

Bonnots Mill Universal Crossover St. Louis - Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$6

MO

Knob Noster Passing Siding Extension St. Louis - Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$15

MO

Preliminary Engineering and Environmental Review for the Construction of a Second Main Track between Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill St. Louis - Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$147

MO

Kingsville Passing Siding St. Louis - Kansas City

Midwest (GLW)

$17

NC, VA

NCDOT, VDOT

Southeast High Speed Rail; Richmond, VA - Raleigh, NC

Mid-Atlantic, Southeast

$5,000

NC, VA

Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor PE/NEPA - Richmond to Releigh

Mid-Atlantic, Southeast

$240

NJ

Portal Bridge Capacity Enhancement Project (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

$941

NJ, NY

New Hudson River Tunnels/Gateway (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic, Northeast

$11,049

NY

NYSDOT

NY - Albany - Buffalo - Niagara Falls

Northeast

$1,660 - $14,710

NY

Livingston Avenue Bridge Preliminary Engineering and Project NEPA

Northeast

$281

NY

Niagara Falls Maintenance Facility Project

Northeast

$14

NY

Moynihan Station (NEC Future)

Northeast

$1,594

NY

New East River Tunnels (NEC Future)

Northeast

$213

OK, TX

TXDOT

Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study: Northern Section (Oklahoma City to Dallas/Fort Worth)

South Central

$1,800

OR

Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Program: Oregon Segment

Northwest

$3,622

OR

North Portland & Peninsula Junction Connection Improvements

Northwest

$17

OR, WA

Willbridge Crossovers: PE/NEPA Eugene - Portland - Seattle - Vancouver BC

Northwest

$8

PA

PennDOT

Phil - Harrisburg - Pittsburgh

Mid-Atlantic

$13,100

PA

ABS/Centralized Control Project Philadelphia - Harrisburg - Pittsburgh

Mid-Atlantic

$9

PA

Keystone Corridor Interlockings Program Philadelphia - Harrisburg - Pittsburgh

Mid-Atlantic

$2,810

PA

Philadelphia 30th Street Station (Early phases) (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

$240

PA

Philadelphia 30th Street Station (Later phases) (NEC Future)

Mid-Atlantic

$900

PA PNRRA + NJDOT

Lackawanna Cut-off Restoration Project

Mid-Atlantic $288

RI

Providence Station Improvement Project (NEC Future)

Northeast

$22

TX

Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study: Southern Section (San Antonio to South Texas)

South Central

$1,300

TX

Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study: Central Section (Dallas/Fort Worth to San Antonio)

South Central

$6,000

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Amtrak Project List

Federal Share Total
Project
Cost
Amtrak
FY20-FY25
Budgeted
Amount
Remaining
Federal
Funds
Needed
Location Construction
Start
Date
Construction
Duration
(years)
Impacted
Regions
Rolling Stock
Amfleet I Replacement $2.000B $2.000B $1.200B $800M N/A 2020 5 to 10 Systemwide
NEC $900M $900M $540M $360M
State Supported 1,040M 1,040B $624M $416M
Long Distance $60M $60M $36M $24M
Superliner and Amfleet II Replacement $2.000B $2.000B $2.000B N/A Mid-2020s 4 to 8 Systemwide
Diesel Locomotive Replacement Approx. Approx. $469M (includes payments made to date) Approx. N/A Underway 5 to 8 Systemwide
(base order plus options) $1.500B $1.500B $1B
Additional Fleet for New Corridors (for FY21-FY25 routes) $510M $510M $510M N/A Mid-2020s 5 to 10 Systemwide
Additional Fleet for New Corridors (for FY26-FY35 routes) Approx. Approx. Approx. N/A Mid-2020s 5 to 10 Systemwide
$3.500B $3.500B $3.500B
Bridges & Tunnels
Portal North Bridge $977.0M $1.8B $325.0M $703.0M Northern New Jersey 2020 6 Northeast, South & Midwest
East River Tunnel Rehab $250.0M $750.0M $556.0M ($153.0M) New York, NY 2024 4 Northeast, South & Midwest
Hudson Tunnel Project $6.4B $12.7B $601.0M $6.0B New Jersey/ New York 2019 11 Northeast, South & Midwest
Sawtooth Bridge $800.0M $1.6B $83.0M $717.0M Northern New Jersey 2022 5 Northeast, South & Midwest
B&P Tunnel $3.6B $5.0B $357.0M $3.0B Baltimore, MD 2020 12 Northeast, South & Midwest
Susquehanna River Bridge $1.4B $1.7B $251.0M $1.3B Havre de Grace, MD 2024 6 Northeast, South & Midwest
Pelham Bay Bridge $410.0M $410.0M $35.0M $511.0M New York, NY 2025 5 Northeast
Connecticut River Bridge $470.0M $660.0M $326.0M $214.5M Old Saybrook, CT 2024 6 Northeast
Stations & Facilities
Washington Union Station Expansion Project $3.5B $7.0B $135.6M $3.4B Washington, 2025 11 Northeast, South & Midwest
D.C.
Washington Union Station Near-Term Improvements $323.5M $323.5M $323.5M Washington, 2018 8 Northeast, South & Midwest
D.C.
Philadelphia Intermodal Station Connector $60.0M $60.0M $60.0M Philadelphia, 2026 2 Northeast, South & Midwest
PA
Baltimore Penn Station Concourse Expansion $70.0M $70.0M $40.0M $30.0M Baltimore, 2023 2 Northeast, South & Midwest
MD
Chicago Union Station (CUS) Critical Façade Repairs $10.0M $10.0M $10.0M Chicago, IL 2020 1 Midwest & Systemwide
CUS Concourse Improvements $22.4M $30.0M $22.4M Chicago, IL 2021 2 Midwest & Systemwide
CUS Ventilation Improvements $300.0M $300.0M $300.0M Chicago, IL 2023 5 Midwest & Systemwide
CUS Platform Expansion $400.0M $400.0M $400.0M Chicago, IL 2023 5 Midwest & Systemwide
(1/3, 2/4, 6/8, 10/12)
Platform Heating (sys­temwide where relevant) $35M $35M $35M $35M Systemwide 2020 6 Systemwide
Vertical Transportation Monitoring System $10M $10M $10M $10M Systemwide 2020 5 Systemwide
Austin, TX Station Rebuild $11.5M $19M $11.5M $7.5M Austin, TX 2020 2 South
Bryan, OH Station Construction $2M $3M $2M $1M Bryan, OH 2020 2 Northeast & Midwest
Elko, NV Trackwork and Station Improvement $6.3M $15M $6.3M $8.7M Elko, NV 2019 2 West
Atlanta, GA Station Relocation $20M $30M $20M $10M Atlanta, GA 2022 3 South
Lancaster, PA Station Improvements $0.4M $30M $0.4M $29.6M Lancaster, PA 2023 4 Northeast
Fl. Station Improvements (MIA-WPB, ORL) $2.0M $2.0M $0.00 $2.0M Florida 2021 4 Florida
Infrastructure
Network Hub Improvement $1.88 $1.875B $0.00 $1.88 Chicago, IL 2021 5 Midwest
Safety, Security & Accessibility
ADA Compliance $1.2B $1.2B $544M $656M Systemwide 2017 10 Systemwide
PTC and PTC Equivalent TBD ~$300M $34 $266M Systemwide 2019 6 Systemwide
New or Improved Corridors
Corridor Development $10-15B $10-15B $0.00 $10-15B Systemwide 2021 15 Systemwide

CARES Act Aid for Intercity Rail Operators and Transit Agencies

The 28,000 members of the Rail Passengers Association are extremely appreciative of the resources Congress is providing for intercity rail operators and transit agencies in Phase 3 legislation currently being negotiated, which meet or exceed our COVID19 request. This financial aid includes:

Amtrak Grants - $1.018 billion

  • Northeast Corridor - $492 million;

  • National Network - $526 million;

    • State Supported Corridors: $239 million

Mass Transit Grants - $25 billion

  • Urban Area - 13.9 billion

  • Rural Area - $1.8 billion

  • State of Good Repair - $7.6 billion

  • Fast-Growth & High-Density State - $1.7 billion

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