Amtrak and Partners Break Ground on Ivy City Rail Yard Modernization Project in Washington, D.C.

New maintenance facility and other yard upgrades will support modern, state-of-the-art Airo trains set to enter service on the Northeast Corridor in 2027

WASHINGTON - Today, Amtrak President Roger Harris was joined by leaders from Maryland, Virginia, and the national Rail Passenger Association, to celebrate the start of major construction on a new maintenance facility at Amtrak's Ivy City Rail Yard in Washington, D.C.

"Breaking ground today brings us one step closer to introducing Amtrak's new state-of-the-art Airo trains on the Northeast Corridor in 2027," said Amtrak President Roger Harris. "This investment will help transform the customer experience, improve reliability, and enable more efficient maintenance practices. We're grateful for the strong support that has made this project possible, especially from our valued partners at the Federal Railroad Administration. Together, we're delivering a new era of Amtrak."

"As a proud partner, Maryland supports Amtrak's significant investments to increase service and reliability along the Northeast Corridor," said Jawauna Greene, Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs and Strategy at the Maryland Department of Transportation. "The Ivy City Yard maintenance facility will benefit Maryland's Amtrak and MARC Train customers with enhanced maintenance operations and improved infrastructure which will help keep everyone's trip along the Northeast Corridor safe and on time."

"The modernization of Amtrak's Ivy City maintenance facility, and it's role in the launch of our new Airo equipment will aid the Commonwealth in expanding and improving our Amtrak Virginia service for decades to come," said DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of VPRA. "With similar upgrades occurring at facilities in New York and Boston, this modernization project will benefit every passenger that boards Amtrak's Airo from Virginia to Massachusetts."

"America's passengers waited for decades for days like today, with long-overdue investment in the future of our rail network from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act making a visible difference for the fare-paying public," said Rail Passengers Association President & CEO Jim Mathews. "This project and the new Airo trains are an example of what's possible when we commit to building - and keeping - a healthy industrial base to support our mobility and prosperity. It's proof our country has what it takes to build and deliver the next rail revolution."

As it opens in phases through 2030, the maintenance facility will be used for daily inspections, service and cleaning, and more. This investment will improve the customer and employee experience by significantly speeding up train maintenance and reducing turnaround times, thanks to more modern maintenance practices.

The new 860-foot-long maintenance facility will encompass more than 260,000 square feet of new and renovated space within the existing rail yard footprint, featuring five Maintenance & Inspection (M&I) tracks with inspection pits, drop tables, sanding systems, and fueling pads at each end, as well as four Service & Cleaning (S&C) tracks - one enclosed and three covered.

Additional upgrades include a new direct fixation track within the M&I and S&C areas; removal of existing and installation of new catenary (electric power) structures; new retaining walls; utility relocations; and more. No major customer impacts are expected due to this project.

These upgrades will benefit Northeast Regional (including the state-supported Amtrak Virginia service), Acela, Long Distance and commuter trains that operate out of this yard, connecting with cities such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Richmond, Charlotte, and beyond.

This investment is part of Amtrak's extensive fleet modernization plans, which include more than 20 rail yard and facility upgrades across over a dozen routes set to receive new Airo trainsets. Planned and delivered in close coordination with the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration, these improvements will enhance maintenance capabilities and improve the overall customer and employee experience.

As part of this program, six major rail yards will be upgraded. Major construction has already begun in Philadelphia and Seattle. Amtrak will break ground at Boston's Southampton Rail Yard on November 6 and at New York City's Sunnyside Yard in 2026. Planning is also advancing for the sixth location, in Rensselaer/Albany, New York, with award of a design services contract planned by the end of 2025.

Several layover sites outside the NEC will also be built or renovated by Amtrak and its partners as part of this program. These are located along existing routes where trains are cleaned, serviced or stored, such Richmond, Newport News, Norfolk, and Roanoke, Virginia.

Amtrak is transforming train travel with brand new trains slated to replace a majority of the existing fleet, and these rail yard upgrades will advance the company's new era of passenger rail. New, premium high-speed NextGen Acela trainsets began service in August, Airo trainset manufacturing has ramped up, and work continues to advance replacement of the current Long Distance fleet.

Additional Reactions:

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

"Today's groundbreaking marks an important step forward for the Amtrak workforce and passengers throughout the Northeast Corridor, supported by $22 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Along with providing for more efficient railcar inspections and repairs, this new Ivy City facility will play a central role in bringing new state-of-the-art trains to the tracks - delivering faster, safer, and more comfortable rail service for Marylanders and many more along the East Coast."

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)

"As one of the authors of the bipartisan infrastructure law that made this project possible, I am proud to know that this yard will play a pivotal role in continuing safe and high-quality rail service along the Northeast Regional Corridor and Virginia Railway Express routes," said U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA).

U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw (VA-11)

"This investment at Amtrak's Ivy City Rail Yard in Washington, D.C. will deliver real results for Virginians. By modernizing its maintenance operations, Amtrak is making rail service faster and more reliable for the travelers and workers who keep our region thriving. The state-of-the-art Airo trains this project supports will help ensure our region is prepared for the future with the advanced infrastructure our communities deserve."