On August 14, 2026, Amtrak was awarded nearly $3 billion in federal funding through the Federal Railroad Administration’s National Railroad Partnership Program. The grants, part of a $5.3 billion round covering 41 projects in 23 states, fund the purchase of up to 43 new trainsets and numerous infrastructure upgrades across 21 state-supported routes.
New Trainsets Acquisition and Delivery Timeline
The largest allocation is $2.05 billion for acquiring up to 43 new trainsets to replace legacy equipment at the end of its service life. These trainsets will operate on routes including Adirondack, Blue Water, Carolinian, Amtrak Cascades, Downeaster, Hiawatha, Illinois Zephyr, Keystone, Pennsylvanian, Adirondack, and Wolverine, among
others. Amtrak stated that the trains will be fully assembled in the United States by approximately 100 suppliers across 31 states, complying with Buy America requirements.
No manufacturer has been selected yet for these trainsets, and no contracts have been signed. Based on previous procurement timelines like the Siemens Airo trainsets currently being delivered between 2026 and 2030, Amtrak estimates the earliest possible delivery for the new trainsets to be around 2031 or 2032. The new trainsets will complement, not replace, Amtrak’s existing order of 83 Siemens Airo trainsets.
Chicago Maintenance Facility and Locomotive Overhaul Grants
Another $572 million has been granted to construct a new Chicago-area
maintenance facility relocating from the 14th Street Yard to the Canal Street Yard. This relocation is intended to improve efficiency and support anticipated ridership growth on Midwest corridor routes.
Amtrak also received $140.6 million to overhaul 41 Siemens Charger locomotives currently used on Midwest and Pacific routes. These locomotives have experienced reliability issues, including a notable sensor failure on a Wolverine service in August 2025. The overhaul will be conducted at Siemens’ Lexington, North Carolina facility, with at least one locomotive confirmed sent there for repairs in August 2026.
Infrastructure Upgrades and Safety Enhancements
Additional grants include $87 million for rehabilitation of more than a
dozen viaducts and bridges around Chicago, and $37.25 million to address the South Branch Chicago River bridge, a 110-year-old lift bridge with persistent reliability challenges during extreme weather. Amtrak will also install onboard shunt-enhancement safety devices across all 32 state-supported and 15 long-distance routes, funded by $45.1 million, aiming to improve safety and reliability on 47 routes.
Amtrak is collaborating with CSX to replace 31 miles of track and add bypass and station tracks in Florence, South Carolina. It is also partnering with BNSF to add six miles of second mainline track near Havre and Lohman, Montana, improving operational capacity
on those segments. Other projects funded include grade separations in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio, a station relocation in Portland, Maine, safety improvements in Colorado, and infrastructure enhancements for the California Zephyr route through Nebraska.
Funding Reallocation and Program Context
Approximately $2 billion of the funds awarded to Amtrak were redirected from federal grants canceled for California’s high-speed rail project. The California High-Speed Rail Authority’s cooperative agreement was terminated by the FRA in July 2025 after findings of non-compliance in nine areas, including a $7 billion shortfall in funding and missed vendor procurement deadlines. The authority later withdrew its lawsuit against the federal government
in December 2025, calling the federal government no longer “a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner.”
Amtrak and its state transportation partners are required to provide a 20% funding match for these projects. The National Railroad Partnership Program, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, competitively awarded the grants. FRA Administrator David Fink described this as the largest passenger rail funding round of 2026, reflecting heightened demand with 103 applications requesting $11.66 billion submitted for consideration.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy underscored the shift in federal rail policy by reallocating funds from canceled high-speed rail projects into operational intercity rail
infrastructure and equipment. He stated the awards represent “putting dollars behind new trains and new tracks to improve transportation and make America and its rails safer, smoother, and world class.”
Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann said, “Thanks to these new grants and continued support from Secretary Duffy and Administrator Fink, Amtrak is investing in vital projects that will drive economic growth, create jobs, and improve and expand rail service for millions of Americans.”
