Amtrak, a passenger train company in the US, has commenced the construction of a new heavy maintenance facility at the Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia. 

Expected for completion in 2027, the facility is designed to expedite train maintenance and reduce turnaround times, improving service reliability across Pennsylvania and the Northeast Corridor (NEC).  

The project, valued at $462m, is fully funded by the US administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The facility, encompassing nearly 350,000ft², will feature a two-bay maintenance and inspection facility with features such as inspection pits and a drop table, among others. 

The upgrades also include new direct fixation track, catenary structures, retaining walls, storage buildings, and utility relocations.  

These developments are not expected to impact Amtrak customers. 

When operational, the facility will undertake daily inspections, service, cleaning, life cycle maintenance, and heavy repairs.  

It will service several of Amtrak's train lines, including Acela, Northeast Regional, Keystone Service, and Pennsylvanian, which collectively facilitate more than 12 million annual trips on the NEC. 

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said: “This new maintenance facility is critical to upgrading the customer experience with new state-of-the-art trains, combined with our other major infrastructure projects. 

“This project and several others like it will help drive continued ridership growth and future service expansion thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and continued support from the Biden-Harris Administration, Congress and many other partners around the country.” 

Earlier this spring, Amtrak awarded a design-build construction contract for the new maintenance facility.  

The construction will be executed in two phases within the existing rail yard's footprint, consolidating various functions into a single multifunctional facility. 

This project is part of Amtrak's broader initiative to upgrade six major rail yards and construct several layover sites to support maintenance activities and new trains set to serve customers in the future.  

The Penn Coach Yard facility is the first to begin construction under this programme, with additional sites planned for cities like Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Penn.