Amtrak Breaks Ground on Rail Yard Projects in D.C., Boston

Amtrak announced that it has broken ground on new maintenance facility and other yard upgrades in Washington, D.C., and Boston, Mass., to support modern, state-of-the-art Airo trains set to enter service in the coming years.

In Washington, Amtrak President Roger Harris was joined by leaders from Maryland, Virginia, and the national Rail Passenger Association, to celebrate the start of major construction on a new maintenance facility at Amtrak’s Ivy City Rail Yard.

“Breaking ground today brings us one step closer to introducing Amtrak’s new state-of-the-art Airo trains on the Northeast Corridor in 2027,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “This investment will help transform the customer experience, improve reliability, and enable more efficient maintenance practices. We’re grateful for the strong support that has made this project possible, especially from our valued partners at the Federal Railroad Administration. Together, we’re delivering a new era of Amtrak.”

As it opens in phases through 2030, the maintenance facility will be used for daily inspections, service and cleaning, and more. This investment will improve the customer and employee experience by significantly speeding up train maintenance and reducing turnaround times, thanks to more modern maintenance practices.

The new 860-foot-long maintenance facility will encompass more than 55,000 square feet. Another 205,000 square feet of renovated space within the existing rail yard footprint will as a whole feature five Maintenance & Inspection (M&I) tracks with inspection pits, drop tables, sanding systems, and fueling pads at each end, as well as four Service & Cleaning (S&C) tracks – one enclosed and three covered.

Additional upgrades include a new direct fixation track within the M&I and S&C areas; removal of existing and installation of new catenary (electric power) structures; new retaining walls; utility relocations; and more. No major customer impacts are expected due to this project.

These upgrades will benefit Northeast Regional (including the state-supported Amtrak Virginia service), Acela, Long Distance and commuter trains that operate out of this yard, connecting with cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, Charlotte, and beyond.

In Boston, Amtrak was joined by leaders from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), and Rail Passenger Association to mark the start of the Southampton Rail Yard Modernization Project.

“We are now one step closer to introducing new, state-of-the-art Airo trainsets on the Northeast Regional and Amtrak Downeaster routes,” said Amtrak Vice President of Project Delivery, Fleet & Facilities, Michelle Tortolani. “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. We’re grateful for our valued partners at the Federal Railroad Administration, who have helped support and fund this project from concept to construction.”

As it opens in phases through 2029, the maintenance facility will be used for daily inspections, service and cleaning, and more. This investment will improve the customer and employee experience by significantly speeding up train maintenance and reducing turnaround times, thanks to more modern maintenance practices. 

The new 860-feet-long maintenance facility will encompass more than 60,000 square feet within the existing rail yard footprint, featuring a new two-bay Maintenance & Inspection (M&I) facility with inspection pits, drop tables, sanding systems, and fueling pads at each end, as well as a renovated two-track Service & Inspection (S&I) facility.  

Additional upgrades include a new direct fixation track within the M&I and S&C areas; removal of existing and installation of new catenary (electric power) structures; new storage tracks for both MBTA commuter trains and Amtrak equipment; new retaining walls; utility relocations; yardmaster’s operations area, and more. No major customer impacts are expected due to this project. 

These upgrades will benefit Amtrak customers across the East Coast – including the Northeast Regional between Boston and Washington, and the Amtrak Downeaster between Boston and Brunswick, Maine. This facility will also be used for Acela and Long Distance trains that operate out of this yard, connecting with cities such as Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Richmond.