Passenger rail is a unique transportation asset for the Northeast.
The region has developed the most extensive passenger rail system in the
country, but this aging infrastructure must be continuously modernized
to keep pace with changing technology and the demands of travelers. The
Acela Express high speed passenger rail service is the most recent
example of state, federal, community and private sector investment in
improved passenger rail service. The commitment to intercity passenger
rail is not confined to the Northeast Corridor (Boston-New York
City-Washington). Investment in passenger rail is an integral part of
mobility, economic development and quality of life strategies throughout
the entire Northeast.
Investments in Rail Safety Reduce Injury and Improve Travel
Reliability
Safety continues to be the highest priority of the nation's
transportation programs. Investments in rail safety offer the dual
benefits of reduced injuries and deaths from accidents even as they
allow higher train speeds and increased reliability. Technology
development and public education are critical elements of rail safety
programs. The Northeast is leading the way with advanced technologies
for safer rail travel. The Federal Railroad Administration and the
Connecticut Department of Transportation successfully demonstrated
state-of-the-art quad-gate warning devices. This advanced rail-highway
grade crossing technology, which is necessary for the development of
high speed rail corridors, has also been used in Massachusetts, New
York, and Vermont. Continued federal and state support is also critical
for expanding successful public education and safety programs such as
Operation Lifesaver.
Passenger Rail Is Job Creation and Economic Development
The rail manufacturing industry has a strong presence in the Northeast,
contributing to economic prosperity and creating thousands of jobs in
communities and states throughout the region. Northeast companies
manufacture rail cars and locomotives, brakes, cable, railroad ties, and
other products, as well as provide engineering and design,
communications, rail marketing, advertising, and other services critical
in operating a national rail system.
Passenger rail service is also an engine of economic growth that
extends beyond the rail manufacturing industry. In New York, a joint
State-Amtrak high speed rail agreement to invest $185 million to reduce
travel times along the Empire Corridor is expected to provide a boost to
the economy by creating jobs, providing more travel options, and
promoting cleaner air. Pennsylvania's agreement with Amtrak for a joint
investment of $140 million to increase speeds along the Keystone
Corridor over the next five years is expected to attract new jobs and
combat the rising economic cost of traffic congestion. Rail stations
themselves can also be centers of economic development and cornerstones
for downtown revitalization in communities large and small. In
Baltimore, Maryland, plans are underway to turn the upper floors of the
rail station into a 70-room hotel. Communities such as Dover, New
Hampshire are making their downtown stations a center of economic
activity and investment.
Passenger Rail Is a Growing Business
In the Northeast, as across the nation, growing public interest in
passenger rail is being translated into action as states invest
significant funds to bring about passenger rail service. In addition to
the high speed rail investment in New York and Pennsylvania, the recent
designation of a Northern New England High Speed Rail Corridor, a Boston
hub with spokes to Montreal and Portland / Lewiston-Auburn (ME), builds on
existing state passenger rail initiatives. The much-anticipated start-up
of passenger rail service between Portland and Boston reflects sustained
commitment and joint investment by the federal government, the states of
Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, local communities and the
private sector. New Hampshire's plans to extend commuter rail service
from Lowell, Massachusetts to Nashua, New Hampshire are a building block
for the proposed high speed corridor. Vermont is undertaking strategic
rail investment plans, while Maine explores opportunities for service
directly linking Portland to the Northeast Corridor.
Intermodal Coordination Is Increasing
Throughout the Northeast, train stations are being upgraded and
transformed into intermodal facilities to provide travelers with
seamless transportation. Boston's South Station provides a ready
connection from the Northeast Corridor to Logan Airport, the inner-city
transit system, and an extensive region-wide bus system. Massachusetts
has leveraged in excess of $53.5 million on ten intermodal centers
throughout the Commonwealth. Smaller communities can benefit from
intermodal transportation options as well. The intermodal facility in
Wells, Maine takes people from the turnpike to bus, rail, and park and
ride options. In Rhode Island, plans for a new Amtrak/commuter rail
station, linked by an automated people mover to T. F. Green Airport,
will provide travelers with access to Boston and points along the entire
Northeast Corridor. The new rail station is part of a more extensive
70-acre economic redevelopment project in Warwick, Rhode Island. Newark
International Airport's new monorail provides ready access from the
terminals to rental car facilities, while frequent bus and shuttle
service connects the airport passengers to the New York subways and
Amtrak.
Partnerships Are Key To Intercity Passenger Rail
Partnerships—among governments and between the public and private
sectors—are essential to the success of intercity passenger rail.
States and communities are stepping forward to work with the federal
government and private sector to bring about modern, efficient passenger
rail service. The cooperation and support of the freight rail community
is essential since commuter and intercity passenger trains outside the
Northeast Corridor operate on privately-owned freight lines. In this
spirit of cooperation, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Amtrak are working
with New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia
and the I-95 Corridor Coalition to assess critical bottlenecks to
passenger and freight rail service in the Mid-Atlantic region. The
integrated strategy developed in the Mid-Atlantic Rail Operations Study
seeks to increase rail efficiency, expand economic opportunity, and
enhance the region's ability to provide a full range of intermodal
services.
