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6/28/2024
Amtrak and CSX, in partnership with the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, will install positive train control (PTC) on more than 100 miles of track between Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Brunswick, Maine.
Amtrak will spend more than $50 million for the project and CSX will install the technology. Scheduled to be completed in spring 2026, PTC will support the Amtrak Downeaster service and freight trains traveling on this route, according to an Amtrak press release.
The project calls for new signals, wayside units and other safety enhancements to the track, all of which will be tied into CSX’s existing PTC system. The design phase was completed in March 2023, and the construction agreement between Amtrak and CSX was executed in November 2023.
Amtrak is also funding the renewal of the entire signal system for this stretch of track, which is more than 70 years old in some locations. The new signal system will provide greater reliability for passenger and freight trains, Amtrak officials said.
Meanwhile, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit have accelerated inspection, maintenance and improvement efforts to infrastructure and fleet systems following a recent spike in Northeast Corridor (NEC) service disruptions in New Jersey and New York Penn Station.
The analysis will examine both Amtrak infrastructure — including the electric traction system that powers trains, the catenary, signals and switches — and NJ Transit equipment, including the pantograph system that connects to the catenary and draws power for the train.
The execution of the joint action plan follows several major service disruptions in recent months, together with a variety of smaller incidents that have reduced reliability on this key travel corridor, Amtrak and NJ Transit officials said in a press release.
“We understand the impact the recent events had on both Amtrak and NJ Transit customers and their families, and we share their frustration,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “It’s vital we work with NJ Transit to identify the root cause of these disruptions and return to on-time service and the quality experience customers expect.”