The projects will include completion of the Northeast Corridor's (NEC) Niantic River moveable bridge replacement; delivery of the first units of new equipment orders for 70 electric locomotives and 130 single-level long-distance passenger cars; expansion of Acela Express high-speed service; and the initiation of a process to acquire next-generation high-speed trainsets, Amtrak officials said in a prepared statement.
"Amtrak continues to advance and invest in projects that provide both near-term benefits and long-term improvements for the effective delivery and reliability of intercity passenger rail service," said Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman.
This year, three Amtrak-owned or maintained corridors will be under various stages of construction, including the Springfield Line in Connecticut, Hudson Line in upstate New York and a section of the Northeast Corridor in New Jersey.
In addition, Amtrak officials anticipate reaching an agreement this year with the Michigan Department of Transportation to operate, dispatch and maintain a section of a state-owned line from Kalamazoo to Dearborn that will lead to track improvements to support 110 mph service.
Other projects slated for 2013 include advance planning for the Gateway program to increase tunnel, track and station capacity into Manhattan for intercity, commuter and next-generation high-speed rail service; improving accessibility at stations; completing installation of positive train control along the NEC and Keystone Corridor; and upgrading AmtrakConnect Wi-Fi service to 4G/LTE.
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