At a recent congressional hearing, Amtrak president Joseph Boardman told Senators that the railroad is facing a 'crisis of success.' Amtrak's increasing ridership, especially in the Northeast Corridor, will lead to deteriorating service, he warned.
Paul Nussbaum reports on Boardman's remarks at a hearing of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on the future of the Northeast Corridor last week. "Amtrak, setting ridership records every year, needs about $2 billion annually for upkeep and growth on the corridor, far more than the $260 million a year it has been spending, Boardman said in calling for a long-term federal plan for funding the railroad."
"We're running out of ways to cram more trains onto the infrastructure," Boardman told the Committee. "We are going to need more than just federal capital funding to address this crisis. We are going to need a new model. If we do not obtain one, the outlook for the system's capacity and condition is grim."
FULL STORY: Amtrak boss details Northeast Corridor 'crisis'
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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