| WASHINGTON – Amtrak said it is planning major infrastructure upgrade projects and expects to reach significant milestones for new equipment orders in 2013. Among the projects for 2013 is completion of the Niantic River Movable Bridge Project on the Northeast Corridor, and receiving the first of 70 new electric locomotives and 130 single-level long-distance passenger cars. Here is a summary of Amtrak projects for 2013: Gateway Program: Amtrak intends to continue planning and other pre-construction activities on its Gateway Program to provide additional capacity into Manhattan for Amtrak and New Jersey Transit commuter services. The project includes building two additional tunnels under the Hudson River to access expanded terminal facilities serving New York Penn Station and the future Moynihan Station. It also will replace and expand the century old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River and increase from two to four the number of tracks between Newark and New York. Amtrak is also seeking funding this year to specifically advance design and early construction elements of the Gateway Program. High speed rail: Amtrak plans to begin the process to purchase new high speed rail trainsets for the Northeast Corridor, and is expanding its Acela Express service on the Northeast Corridor with the addition of a new weekday round trip between New York and Washington beginning Jan. 28. The railroad said it will further advance design, engineering and other pre-construction activities for a $450 million project funded by the federal high speed rail program that will boost top train speeds from 135 mph to 160 mph along a 24-mile section of the NEC, between Trenton and New Brunswick, N.J. The project includes upgrading track, electrical power (frequency converter capacity and additional substations), signal systems, and catenary wires to permit faster speeds. It also reconfigures switches at the western entrance to New York Penn Station to mitigate congestion issues. The full project is to be completed in 2017. New electrics: The first units of a $466 million order for 70 new electric locomotives will be delivered during 2013. The new equipment will operate at speeds up to 125 mph on the NEC and up to 110 mph on the Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa., Keystone Corridor. Siemens in Sacramento, Calif., is building them. New cars: Late 2013 will see the delivery of the first four of eight test cars of a $298.1 million order for 130 new single-level long-distance cars, including 25 sleepers, 25 diners, 55 baggage cars, and 25 baggage/dormitory cars. The first units will be placed in service late spring 2014. They are being built by CAF USA at a facility in Elmira, N.Y. Updated fleet plan: Amtrak intends to release an updated fleet strategy plan in 2013 with the latest analysis on replacing and expanding its existing conventional and high speed rail fleet. Niantic River Movable Bridge project: In May Amtrak expects to complete construction on the $140 million project to replace the Niantic River Movable Bridge between East Lyme and Waterford, Conn. Partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new bridge is now in operation. The project involves constructing a new two-track bascule bridge, new track alignments, and expansion of the navigation channel beneath the bridge. Springfield Line improvements: The railroad will continue installation of underground signal and communication cables over the 60-mile Springfield Line, the first portion of construction for the State of Connecticut-led New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program to expand passenger rail service. This work is required to upgrade signal and communication systems for the program and prepare for adding a second track. Hudson Line improvements: In December 2012, Amtrak took full control of the Hudson Line between Schenectady and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., from CSX. This paves the way for four significant rail-improvement projects led by the State of New York totaling $181 million. Amtrak intends to begin work on these projects in 2013. Michigan agreement: Amtrak anticipates signing an agreement this year with the Michigan Department of Transportation to operate, dispatch, and maintain a 135-mile section of state-owned railroad from Kalamazoo to Dearborn that will lead to track improvements to support 110 mph speeds for Wolverine and Blue Water service. B&P Tunnel and Susquehanna Bridge replacement: Preliminary engineering and environmental work will begin this year on a project to replace the 1873 vintage B&P Tunnel in Baltimore. This phase of the multi-year project is funded by a $60 million federal high speed rail grant to the State of Maryland. A new tunnel would have an improved alignment to enable an increase in speed and capacity. Amtrak will also begin preliminary engineering and environmental work for the replacement of the bridge crossing the Susquehanna River between Perryville and Havre de Grace, Md., funded by a $22 million federal high speed rail grant to the State of Maryland. Positive train control: Installation of PTC equipment will be completed between Philadelphia and Washington this year. The section from New York to Philadelphia is more than 90 percent complete, as is the section between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa. PTC is already in operation between New York and Boston and on Amtrak-owned tracks between Porter, Ind., and Kalamazoo, Mich. Upgrading Wi-Fi: As cellular carriers expand their 4G/LTE footprint along Amtrak routes, Amtrak has begun to upgrade its Wi-Fi service. Implementation has already started on the Acela Express and is currently undergoing stabilization and optimization activities. Amtrak will seek to expand 4G/LTE to other Wi-Fi trains. |