Amtrak has started construction on a new train maintenance facility at Southampton Yard in Boston, working in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, and the Rail Passenger Association.
The phased opening of this facility is scheduled to continue through 2029.
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The new site will be used for routine inspections, servicing and cleaning of trains operating on several major routes. These include the Northeast Regional between Boston and Washington, and the Amtrak Downeaster between Boston and Brunswick, Maine.
According to Amtrak, the Southampton rail yard modernisation project will deliver an 860ft long building, covering over 60,000ft² within the current yard boundaries.
It will include a two-bay maintenance and inspection facility with inspection pits, drop tables, sanding systems, and fuelling pads at each end.
In addition, Amtrak will renovate an existing two-track service and inspection facility.
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By GlobalDataAmtrak project delivery, fleet and facilities vice president Michelle Tortolani said: “We are now one step closer to introducing new, state-of-the-art Airo trainsets on the Northeast Regional and Amtrak Downeaster routes.
“This new facility will help speed up train maintenance and reduce turnaround times, providing Amtrak customers with more reliable service as ridership continues to break records.”
Infrastructure upgrades as part of the Southampton rail yard modernisation project include new direct fixation track within the maintenance, inspection, service, and cleaning areas, as well as the replacement of catenary power structures.
Additional improvements involve the installation of storage tracks for both Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and Amtrak equipment, new retaining walls, utility relocations, and an expanded yardmaster’s operations area.
Once complete, the facility will accommodate Acela and Long Distance trains operating out of Southampton Yard, linking Boston with cities such as Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, and Richmond.
Amtrak began service of NextGen Acela high-speed trainsets in August 2023.
The company said that production of Airo trainsets is ongoing and preparations are underway for future Long Distance fleet replacements.
MBTA chief operating officer Ryan Coholan said: “The MBTA is supportive of Amtrak’s investment in the Southampton Yard.
“The upgrades will support the next generation of equipment and create a smoother, more efficient operation for everyone who travels through this busy corridor.”
This development is part of a modernisation initiative led by Amtrak across more than 20 rail yards and facilities along over a dozen routes.
Coordination with the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration supports the delivery of these upgrades.
The Southampton rail yard modernisation project follows similar works already underway in Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington DC.
Amtrak also plans to construct or upgrade layover sites outside the Northeast Corridor at locations including Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, and Roanoke in Virginia.
These sites function as operational bases for cleaning, servicing or storing trains serving these routes.
US Representative Stephen Lynch said: “I am pleased that federal funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has been awarded to Amtrak to modernise their Boston facilities to support their new Airo and NextGen Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor.”
In August this year, Amtrak began upgrades at three rail yards along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) to improve service reliability and maintenance efficiency.
The passenger railroad company awarded design-build contracts and started preconstruction activities for these projects.
