Amtrak has awarded $2.6 billion in contracts to three joint ventures tasked with overhauling major rail yards in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Boston, according to an Aug. 19 news release.
The modernizations represent some of the most significant infrastructure investments Amtrak has made in decades, aimed at supporting the arrival of its new Airo trains, which will debut in the Northeast Corridor beginning in 2027. “These new facilities will help us service the Airo fleet and improve operations for passengers traveling throughout the region,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in the release.
The largest project, valued at $1.3 billion, will take place at Sunnyside Yard in Queens, New York City. Freeport, New York-based Scalamandre Construction and Bohemia, New York-based Citnalta Construction Corp. will act as general contractors. Plans call for a new two-track maintenance and inspection building, six new service and cleaning tracks with canopy coverage, and a modular office compound. Crews will also restore 11 service platforms and reconfigure two major interlockings that connect Sunnyside to the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak said the work will be phased and is expected to continue through 2030.
In Washington, D.C., the Ivy City Yard will undergo a $705 million overhaul led by a joint venture of Bethesda, Maryland-based Clark Construction and St. Joseph, Missouri-based Herzog. The project includes three new exterior service and cleaning tracks with canopy coverage, renovations to two maintenance facilities, and a full replacement of aging water main infrastructure to enable simultaneous servicing of multiple trainsets. Work is also planned in phases with completion expected by 2030.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Southampton Yard will see a $583 million rebuild by SPS New England, based in Salisbury, Massachusetts, and Railroad Construction Co. of Paterson, New Jersey. The joint venture will deliver a new two-track maintenance and inspection facility while repurposing an existing two-track facility into a service and cleaning building. Full project delivery is slated for 2029.
Together, these upgrades mark a critical step in Amtrak’s broader modernization program. Trains serviced in the improved yards will operate not only along the Northeast Corridor but also on long-distance routes stretching as far as Miami and New Orleans. The projects are designed to improve efficiency, safety, and reliability while accommodating Amtrak’s next generation of rolling stock.
“These investments ensure that our infrastructure keeps pace with the growth in passenger demand and the introduction of modern trains designed to offer a more comfortable and sustainable travel experience,” Harris added.
With phased completion timelines extending through 2030, the projects highlight both the scale and complexity of revitalizing rail infrastructure in the nation’s busiest rail corridor.
Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.
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