How Amtrak is Laying the Foundation for a 21st Century Economy

Recently, Amtrak CEO Wick Moorman sat down with Paul Solman of PBS NewsHour to discuss the relationship between infrastructure investment and American productivity.

The conversation, which took place aboard Amtrak’s Acela Express, caps a year in which America’s Railroad has made major investments in the future of passenger rail service.

In addition to achieving record ridership and revenue in 2016, Amtrak announced its plan to have the next generation of high speed Acela equipment in place by 2021. With more seats, more frequent departures, and state-of-the-art amenities, the next generation of high-speed trains have the potential to reshape travel in the Northeast Corridor.

Other infrastructure improvement projects like the Gateway Program in New York, and B&P Tunnel Replacement in Baltimore aim to replace aging, century-old infrastructure with modern facilities that can accommodate more trains operating at higher speeds, meaning fewer delays for passengers and a safer, more efficient railroad. Amtrak is also engaged in efforts to modernize key stations, including those in New York, Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia.

“The day is coming when this nation is just going to be forced to invest, if we want to maintain our place in the world.” said Moorman.

The Northeast Corridor contributes an estimated 20% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  With focused investments in transportation infrastructure, America can create new jobs, generate new opportunities for transit-oriented development and help lay the foundation for a 21st century economy.