Feds back ambitious plan to speed up Northeast rail service

Feds back ambitious plan to speed up Northeast rail service | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2016 file photo, an Amtrak Acela train travels through Old Lyme, Conn. On Friday, Dec. 16 federal railroad regulators endorsed an ambitious and costly plan to rebuild the congested Northeast Corridor over the next 30 years. The plan recommends a tunnel through Old Lyme after residents complained about the prospect of elevated tracks. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Federal rail regulators are endorsing an ambitious and costly plan to rebuild the congested Northeast Corridor over the next 30 years.

They say it will shore up crumbling infrastructure, expand service and speed up travel, with some trains eventually able to reach 220 mph on part of the Washington-Boston route.

The Federal Railroad Administration plan, unveiled Friday, aims to cut delays and increase capacity by upgrading bridges and tunnels and realigning tracks to eliminate curves.

The agency estimates the changes will cut travel times between Washington and New York by 35 minutes and save 45 minutes to an hour on trips between Boston and New York.

The FRA estimates it will cost around $120 billion. Now it’s up to the states, railroads and President-elect Donald Trump to figure out if they’re on board.

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