Amtrak is simultaneously managing more active construction projects than at any point in its 55-year history. Fueled by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the national passenger rail operator has reached active construction on a wave of infrastructure investments that extends well beyond the Northeast Corridor's well-publicized projects — and that collectively represent some of the most technically demanding transportation construction underway in the United States today.

Three Rail Yard Modernizations: Boston, New York, and Washington

In August 2025, Amtrak awarded design-build contracts and began preconstruction activities for three rail yard modernization projects that will support the introduction of new Airo trains beginning in 2027. Each project has a separate construction team:

• Boston — Southampton Yard: An SPS New England–Railroad Construction Company (RCC) Joint Venture will design and construct a new two-track Maintenance & Inspection facility and convert an existing facility into a Service & Cleaning operation. Full project completion is targeted for 2029.
• New York City — Sunnyside Yard: A Scalamandre-Citnalta Joint Venture will build a new two-track Maintenance & Inspection facility, six new Service and Cleaning tracks with canopy coverage, reconfigure two major interlockings, and upgrade 11 existing service platforms. Full completion is targeted for 2030.
• Washington, DC — Ivy City Yard: A Clark-Herzog Joint Venture will construct three new exterior Service & Cleaning tracks, renovate two existing two-track maintenance facilities to include new drop tables, and replace water main infrastructure throughout the yard. Full completion is targeted for 2030.

Combined with two similar projects already under construction in Philadelphia and Seattle, and another in planning for Rensselaer/Albany, New York, these investments support the introduction of Amtrak's next-generation Airo intercity trainsets across multiple routes. "These investments are key to introducing our new Airo trains on the Northeast Corridor beginning in 2027," said Amtrak President Roger Harris. "With ridership and revenue at all-time highs, we're making great strides to meet this growing demand."

East River Tunnel Rehabilitation: $1.6 Billion Under Construction

One of the most consequential active rail construction projects in the country is the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project in New York City, which entered major construction in late 2024. Amtrak awarded the construction contract to a Skanska E-J ERT Joint Venture following the award of a $1.26 billion federal IIJA grant in November 2023.

The approximately $1.6 billion project — co-funded by Amtrak, MTA, and NJ TRANSIT — will demolish existing tunnel systems down to the concrete liner and completely rebuild both tubes of the Sandy-damaged East River Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to Queens for Northeast Corridor and commuter service. Work will be conducted one tube at a time and is expected to continue through 2027. The tunnel carries Acela, Northeast Regional, and multiple Long Distance train routes.

Philadelphia 30th Street Station: $500 Million Renovation Underway

The William H. Gray III Philadelphia 30th Street Station is in active construction as part of a 50-year P3 redevelopment lease with Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP). Per Amtrak's project page, PIP — a team that includes Gilbane Building Company, Johnson Controls, and Vantage Airport Group — is renovating and expanding nearly 500,000 square feet of the historic station. The project includes a renovated Main Food Hall, expanded South Concourse, new shops and restaurants, and new Amtrak corporate office space. Full completion is expected by late 2028, with interim phases delivering improvements on a rolling basis.

Washington Union Station: Doubling Concourse Capacity

At Washington Union Station — Amtrak's second-busiest station — the Claytor Concourse is being modernized and reconfigured to double its present capacity by 2026 as part of the station's broader 2nd Century Plan. The concourse expansion will improve passenger flow and accessibility while setting the stage for larger station expansion work, including a Federal Railroad Administration Environmental Impact Statement for a comprehensive station expansion that would triple passenger capacity over 20 years.

Beyond the NEC: The National Rail Modernization Context

While the NEC commands the most construction investment, Amtrak's capital program now extends across the national network. A $4.7 billion investment package announced by DOT Secretary Sean Duffy in April 2026 specifically targets Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program (Partnership-NEC) funding for high-priority major station projects including New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station, with a May 2026 application deadline for the first funding round.

Separately, Amtrak has been advancing ADA accessibility construction at more than 95 stations in various stages of design and construction nationally, representing over $93 million in annual capital investment at stations that may not make national headlines but represent active construction contracts distributed across dozens of states.

Why This Matters to Construction Professionals

Amtrak's construction program represents one of the largest single-owner institutional capital programs in the United States — and it operates with a procurement structure that differs significantly from typical public-sector work:

• Design-build delivery: All three rail yard projects use design-build contract structures, placing integrated delivery risk on contractor joint ventures and requiring advanced preconstruction coordination between construction managers and designers.
• Phased operations: All projects are constructed around active train operations, requiring complex phasing, schedule sequencing, and night/weekend work windows — conditions that demand experienced rail construction contractors and premium scheduling discipline.
• National supply chain implications: Amtrak's Airo trainset orders require maintenance facility upgrades across six yards; BABA and domestic preference requirements apply to federally funded components, affecting equipment procurement for rail yard work.
• Institutional IIJA funding pipeline: The IIJA allocated $66 billion for passenger and freight rail, with Amtrak receiving the majority of intercity passenger rail funding. The program's multi-year funding horizon provides relative stability for long-lead procurement and multi-year construction contracts.

What to Watch Next

• Partnership-NEC Grant Applications: First-round applications for New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station improvements were due May 5, 2026; awards will determine the next phase of major station construction contracts
• East River Tunnel progress: The 2027 target completion of one tube marks a critical milestone for Northeast Corridor capacity; watch for service adjustment announcements as work progresses
• Airo train delivery: First Airo trainsets are targeted for NEC service in 2027, with deployments on state-supported routes (Pacific Northwest, California, Midwest) in subsequent years — each new route requiring maintenance facility readiness
• Rensselaer/Albany rail yard: Currently in planning; procurement is expected to advance in 2026, representing another design-build construction opportunity in the Northeast

Bottom Line

Amtrak's capital construction program is the largest and most geographically distributed rail infrastructure investment in U.S. history, with active projects running from Seattle to Washington, DC. For contractors with transportation infrastructure capabilities — particularly those experienced in rail operations environments, design-build delivery, and complex phased work — the Amtrak pipeline represents sustained multi-year demand backed by stable federal IIJA funding. The institutional challenge is not whether the work will be done, but whether the construction industry has enough experienced rail contractors to execute it all concurrently.

Sources

• Amtrak Media — Three Rail Yard Modernization Projects, August 2025
• Amtrak Media — East River Tunnel Construction Contract Award, July 2024
• Amtrak — Philadelphia 30th Street Station Redevelopment
• Amtrak — Washington Union Station Concourse Modernization
• U.S. DOT/FRA — Partnership-NEC Program Announcement, April 2026
• Amtrak Media — Advancing Major Infrastructure Projects Map, March 2026