New Maintenance Facilities

Program Status

Level I Facilities: Five under construction (Seattle, Philadelphia, Boston, DC, New York City); Chicago & Rensselaer in planning.

Level II Facilities: 18 facilities to be upgraded.

Estimated Program Completion

Level I Facilities

  • Midwest Maintenance Facility – Chicago: 2028
  • King Street – Seattle: 2027
  • Ivy City – Washington, DC: 2030 (phased)
  • Penn Coach – Philadelphia: 2027
  • Sunnyside – New York City: 2030 (phased)
  • Southampton – Boston: SPS 2029 (phased)

Latest Milestones

  • Midwest Maintenance Facility – Chicago: $572M in FRA National Railroad Partnership Program funding awarded to Amtrak.
  • King Street – Seattle: Building enclosed with working HVAC, fire protection and electrical system.
  • Penn Coach – Philadelphia: Precast wall panels completed for heavy maintenance facility.
  • Southampton – Boston: Foundations, steel erection and roof work progressing through construction zones.

Prime Contractors

  • King Street – Seattle: PCL Construction
  • Ivy City – Washington, DC: Clark-Herzog JV
  • Penn Coach – Philadelphia: Herzog
  • Sunnyside – New York City: Scalamandre-Citnalta JV
  • Southampton – Boston: SPS New England-Railroad Construction Company (RCC) JV

Funding Sources

U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

Amtrak is upgrading maintenance facilities around the country to support new trains set to enter service in the coming years.

New and upgraded maintenance facilities at seven rail yards across the East Coast, Midwest and in Seattle will help modernize train maintenance practices, provide a better worksite for employees, and ensure a seamless transition from Amtrak’s aging fleet to modern, state-of-the-art Airo trainsets and existing and future long distance equipment. These significant upgrades will support preventive maintenance, routine inspections, equipment repairs, and minor service and cleaning needs in Seattle, Washington, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Chicago and Rensselaer/Albany, NY.

Several layover sites where trains are often cleaned, serviced, or stored will also be renovated. Amtrak’s existing heavy maintenance facilities, including sites in Delaware and Indiana, will also continue to play an important role providing equipment maintenance and overhaul capabilities.

Many of the maintenance facilities used for Amtrak operations are more than a century old and predate the company’s formation. Renovating these sites is an essential component of Amtrak’s new era of passenger rail: the company’s largest capital program to date, modernizing trains, tunnels, bridges, stations, and more.

Level 1 Maintenance Facilities

King Street Yard

This will be a key rail yard for the launch and maintenance of Amtrak’s new Airo trains, set to debut in 2026. With an improved rail yard, equipment and trainset maintenance will be more efficient, and the yard will be safer and more reliable for crews.

Status: Under construction, completion in 2027.

Funding: U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration

The 110,000 square foot yard is undergoing improvement efforts will aid both employees and customers with increased turnaround times and repairs. It will be used for daily inspections, service, and cleaning, along with life cycle maintenance and heavy maintenance repairs.

Status: In construction, complete in 2027

Funding: U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration

The modernization of the yard will serve employees and customers along the Northeast Corridor, including the Amtrak Virginia Service. Renovations include repairing two current two-track maintenance facilities, and replacing the existing water main infrastructure.  

Status: In construction, completed in 2030 (phased)

Funding: U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration

These upgrades will support Northeast Regional, Acela, Long Distance, and commuter trains that operate out of this yard, connecting with cities such as Albany, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Miami, and New Orleans.

Status: In construction, completed in 2030 (phased)

Funding: U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration

The upgrades include the designing and construction of a new maintenance facility and renovate existing facilities to support Northeast Regional, Acela, and Long Distance trains that operate out of this yard, connecting with cities such as Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, and Richmond.

Status: In construction, completed in 2030 (phased)

Funding: U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration

Chicago is a national rail hub where more than half of the Amtrak long distance trains begin or end their trips and 16 Amtrak routes rely on Chicago based maintenance capacity. Rail equipment, service demands, and federal safety and operational standards continue to evolve. Current facilities were designed for a different era and no longer provide the space, configuration, or modern capabilities needed to support today’s fleet or anticipated future growth.

A new site was identified more than three years ago. Amtrak began seeking funding for a new facility through the federal grant process and was also contacted by the development community in Chicago.

Construction of the new Midwest Maintenance Facility, to be led by Canal Edge LLC, is expected to support approximately 3,000 jobs including union and skilled labor positions during approximately 18 months of development. There will also be long-term operational employment opportunities at the facility to be owned by Amtrak.

Status: $572M in FRA National Railroad Partnership Program funding awarded to Amtrak for the facility.

The FRA also granted up to $87 million to rehabilitate or replace bridges, viaducts, and ancillary structures in the area to improve safety and system performance, and importantly, address structural deficiencies and eliminate hazards for rail operations, drivers, and pedestrians.

The federal investment and grants will be complemented by private capital and financing led by Canal Edge, which is responsible for financing and delivering the approximately $900 million project.

Funding: U.S.DOT FRA National Railroad Partnership Program and Canal Edge LLC. More than $125 million of the project represents developer Justin Ishbia’s own personal capital.

Project Website: MWMaintenanceFacility.com