Amtrak Breaks Ground on Philadelphia Train Maintenance Facility
This project was launched with a ceremony attended by Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose, White House Deputy Assistant for Infrastructure Implementation Samantha Silverberg, and Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association.
This project was launched with a ceremony attended by Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose, White House Deputy Assistant for Infrastructure Implementation Samantha Silverberg, and Jim Mathews, President & CEO of the Rail Passengers Association.
The new heavy maintenance facility, scheduled for completion in 2027, will improve the efficiency of train maintenance, enabling faster turnarounds and more modern practices.
The facility will handle daily inspections, service, and cleaning, alongside more substantial lifecycle and heavy maintenance repairs. These upgrades are aimed at ensuring more reliable services for Pennsylvania and the NEC.
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said:
“This new maintenance facility is critical to upgrading the customer experience with new state-of-the-art trains, combined with our other major infrastructure projects. This project and several others like it will help drive continued ridership growth and future service expansion thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and continued support from the Biden-Harris Administration, Congress and many other partners around the country.”
This 462 million USD project is fully funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The facility will be constructed in two phases within the existing rail yard footprint. The consolidation of maintenance functions into one location will streamline operations and improve efficiency.
The new facility will span nearly 350,000 square feet and include modern features such as inspection pits, a drop table, and fueling pads, along with new service and cleaning tracks.
Additional upgrades include the installation of direct fixation track, replacement of existing catenary structures, and the relocation of utilities.
The project is part of Amtrak’s larger investment plan to upgrade six major rail yards across the country, including five in the Northeast and one in the Pacific Northwest. These projects will support the maintenance of Amtrak’s new fleet of trains, with a focus on efficiency, reliability, and sustainability.