Amtrak, NJ Transit update maintenance efforts on Northeast Corridor

NEWARK, N.J. — Amtrak and NJ Transit on Tuesday presented a new progress report on their work to improve reliability on the Northeast Corridor, an outgrowth of the significant operating issues experienced by both entities in summer 2024.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy hosted representatives of both operators in a “working summit” on Tuesday, April 15, and announced a new aspect of the collaboration they agreed to after a meeting with Murphy last year [see “Amtrak, NJ Transit pledge …,” Trains News Wire, June 28, 2024].

Amtrak, Murphy said in a press release, “has now agreed to welcome a senior-level staff member with NJ Transit into their New York Penn Station control center, which will help the two agencies engage in continuous collaboration.”

Amtrak President Roger Harris said corridor passengers “should feel confident” about travel this summer, based on work done over the past year. “But the job isn’t done,” Harris said, “as we have more improvements underway, and we are encouraged by the results so far that will lead to more upgrades and better service.”

The progress report released Tuesday details efforts including replacements of some 9,500 pieces of catenary hardware since June 2024; plans for service outages for maintenance over the next 12 weeks; and completion of Amtrak repairs and upgrades at three electrical substations, with eight more planned this year.

The report also notes Amtrak is spending more than $40 million on improvements on the corridor in fiscal 2025. Work to be completed before this summer includes catenary wire replacement between Rahway and Elizabeth, N.J., and at Dock Interlocking east of Newark; replacement of 12 circuit breakers, up from three in prior years; and a new control house for Substation 42 in Hackensack.

Said NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri, “We remain committed to making necessary schedule adjustments to support Amtrak’s ongoing upgrades to the overhead wires ahead of the summer—essential work that strengthens the future of this corridor.”

The two operators had last reported on their Northeast Corridor work in November [see “Amtrak, NJ Transit update efforts …,” News Wire, Nov. 20, 2024].