(The following story by Raju Chebium appeared on the Daily News website on January 11, 2010.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak’s chief says rail passengers in the Northeast Corridor can expect better service and newer trains beginning this year.
Joseph Boardman, Amtrak’s president and CEO, says the quasi-public railroad is working to cut travel time between Washington and New York by 15 minutes and replace all 1,400 locomotives and rail cars nationwide.
“All of the fleet we are talking about includes the Northeast Corridor,” he told reporters in a conference call, during which he also touted Amtrak’s efforts to spark high-speed rail projects outside the Washington-to-Boston corridor. “We know we need to retire this fleet. We know we are going to move forward on the (new) fleet.”
Beginning in March, Acela trains will begin offering wireless online access initially for free, Amtrak says. Later this year, the interiors of Acela Express trains will also be spruced up with amenities such as leather seating.
Boardman said some improvements are already under way using money Congress provided as part of the $787 billion economic stimulus package President Barack Obama signed into law in February.
Among them: Upgrading transformers and other electrical equipment between Washington and New York, renovating the train station in Wilmington, Del., and restoring locomotives and rail cars stored in Bear, Del.
Delays due to power outages and the aging infrastructure aren’t uncommon along the Northeast Corridor. A Dec. 23 electrical malfunction near New York caused a three-hour delay throughout the route.
Minimizing delays requires improvements to the power system and other infrastructure like rail ties and tunnels. Though some of those improvements are under way, Boardman acknowledged it will be a long and costly process, requiring about $16 billion.
Boardman also rejected talk of partially privatizing the Northeast Corridor, which some Republicans like Rep. John Mica of Florida have advocated. Boardman declared flatly that Amtrak is “America’s railroad” and intends to continue to serve that role.