Each day, numerous Amtrak trains traveling at high speeds slow down significantly as they go through a tight turn in a 151-year-old tunnel.
Constructed in 1873, the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel was considered an impressive engineering feat at the time. It connected Washington, D.C., to Baltimore by rail and facilitated farmers from Maryland in transporting their produce to city markets. However, over a century later, the 1.4-mile tunnel has become emblematic of the country’s neglected rail infrastructure, often entangled in political disputes, leading to inconveniences for everyday citizens like commuters.
In March of last year, Amtrak, with $66 billion in funding from the 2021 infrastructure bill, initiated a $6 billion project to construct a new tunnel set to open in 2035. This project is just one of many rail upgrades across the nation following the passing of the bill.
“Currently, we are focused on modernizing 19th and 20th-century assets to bring them into the 21st century,” stated Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner in an interview with Fortune.
Some rail lines are so old that they might have transported Civil War veterans on the same tracks used by pioneers heading westward. Besides the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, Amtrak also has several outdated infrastructure pieces in the Northeast region. In Maryland, trains still travel over the Susquehanna Bridge, built in 1906, during Theodore Roosevelt’s presidency and when the U.S. only had 46 states. Similarly, the Sawtooth Bridge, constructed a year later, continues to ferry commuters across northern New Jersey.
Bridges and tunnels over a century old are just a few examples of the aging rail network in the country. Outdated infrastructure throughout the U.S. hinders train speeds, leading to congestion and delays. Antique tracks prevent trains from reaching their maximum speeds in certain sections, making modern locomotives ineffective.
Over the years, as Amtrak’s repair backlog grew, lawmakers became less willing to allocate the required funds. This neglect caused infrastructure to deteriorate further, escalating the costs of repairs and reducing the appeal of investing in them. Prior to the infrastructure bill, Amtrak had never received such substantial funding from the federal government, which subsidizes a significant portion of the company’s capital expenses. Similar to most passenger rail operators, Amtrak relies on government funding for track upgrades, locomotive purchases, and new routes. However, political dynamics often complicate securing the necessary funding.
“To acquire new equipment or carry out major infrastructure projects, government funding is vital,” noted Allan Zarembski, a civil engineering professor at the University of Delaware. “This is the standard practice globally. Historically, Amtrak has been subject to the whims of the current administration or political climate.”
Infrastructure investment has lagged across the country. Along the Northeast Corridor, the busiest train route in the U.S. stretching from Washington, D.C., to Boston, there is a backlog of $45 billion in repairs, as per the American Society for Civil Engineers. Outdated infrastructure along this route led to a total of 328,000 minutes of train delays, equivalent to around 700 trips from D.C. to Boston, according to the same report.
In November of last year, Amtrak made substantial progress in addressing the repair backlog along the Northeast Corridor. In collaboration with the Department of Transportation, Amtrak secured $16.4 billion for 25 projects along the route. Among these projects is the construction of a new Hudson River Tunnel between New York and New Jersey. The original tunnel, built in 1910, suffered extensive saltwater damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Once the new tunnel is operational, the original will undergo repairs before reopening to accommodate over 400 daily trains on that route.
In Maryland, the Susquehanna Bridge is slated to receive $2.1 billion for track improvements. Outdated tracks necessitate slower train speeds along the rail corridor, hindering them from reaching their full potential speed. Another set of repairs planned for a 117-year-old bridge over the Connecticut River would enable trains to accelerate from 45 to 70 miles per hour.
“We are essentially still operating a 19th-century railway network that has been gradually upgraded,” remarked Gardner.
