National passenger rail provider Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT recently issued a new progress report on the joint inspection, maintenance, and improvement program regarding Amtrak’s New Jersey rail infrastructure and NJ TRANSIT’s trains.
[Above photo by Amtrak]
The report highlighted work conducted over the past year on “significant upgrades” expected to mitigate major service disruptions and address incidents that customers experienced in May and June of 2024.
The execution of Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT’s joint action plan, developed in 2024, aims to beef up service reliability on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Trenton and New York City; an effort that has “contributed to a noticeable decline” in service disruptions over the past several months, as NJ TRANSIT’s on-time performance has returned to over 90 percent, both companies said.
“Over the past year, we have been working diligently to address many of the issues that riders endured during the summer of 2024,” said New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) in a statement.
“In partnership with Amtrak, we have embarked on an ambitious effort to increase inspections, accelerate repairs, and expand funding for capital investments,” the governor added. “We are pleased to announce today that Amtrak has now agreed to welcome a senior-level staff member with NJ TRANSIT into their New York Penn Station control center which will help the two agencies engage in continuous collaboration. We will continue to work together so we can ensure that the people of New Jersey get where they need to go — safely and on time.”
“Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT customers should feel confident in their travel this summer,” added Amtrak President Roger Harris. “But the job isn’t done. We have more improvements underway, and we are encouraged by the results so far that will lead to more upgrades and better service.”
“NJ TRANSIT understands how vital dependable rail service is for the tens of thousands of customers who rely on the NEC every day. Since last June, substantial progress has been made on infrastructure and equipment upgrades that should significantly lower the risk of experiencing a repeat of last summer’s service issues,” said Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of NJ TRANSIT.
“We remain committed to making necessary schedule adjustments to support Amtrak’s ongoing upgrades to the overhead wires ahead of the summer—essential work that strengthens the future of this corridor,” Kolluri added. “Service reliability remains our top priority, and we deeply value our continued collaboration with Amtrak to deliver a better, more reliable travel experience for all our customers.”
After completing more than $12 million worth of work across New Jersey’s portion of the NEC in federal fiscal year 2024, Amtrak is planning to invest more than $40 million in FY 2025.
Additionally, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT said they continue to work with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration on the review of the $112 million in Federal-State Partnership NEC grants awarded in November 2024 to Amtrak for three critical electric traction and signal projects in New Jersey with the financial support of NJ TRANSIT.
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