Calling the delays and service suspensions of the past two months unacceptable, Gov. Phil Murphy, Amtrak and NJ Transit officials announced joint plans Thursday for short- and long-term improvements to Northeast Corridor infrastructure and trains.
The joint plan calls for addressing some of the short-term issues related to Amtrak’s aging infrastructure and equipment on NJ Transit trains, which have been alternately blamed for the rail service suspensions that have plagued the Northeast Corridor line over the past two months, disrupting travel for tens of thousands of passengers.
Plans also call for seeking funding this year to replace the aging catenaries that power the trains, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardener said.
“The recent performance is unacceptable,” Murphy told reporters after the meeting in Newark. “People don’t care what happened, they want to go home. There must be a collective effort to achieve this.
The short-term measures include steps to address two of the thorniest problems that have been blamed for delays and suspensions, Amtrak’s aging catenary wire that powers the trains and the trains’ roof pantographs that collect that electricity.
- Amtrak will conduct additional, thorough and frequent inspections of the overhead lines and track on the approximately 170 miles of track between Trenton and New York to identify any overhead line issues that could damage train pantographs.
- Amtrak will expand its helicopter catenary inspection and repair program, which involves taking high-resolution photos of the system, each catenary structure and its components. Photos will be inspected offline to identify priority items for repair.
- With the assistance of Amtrak, NJ Transit is conducting a visual inspection of all train pantographs at major stations and has installed high-resolution cameras to inspect the pantographs. Industry experts will conduct external reviews and analyses to determine the root cause and develop solutions.
Murphy called them “high-level inspections” to address catenary and pantograph problems. The roof-mounted train pantographs had been blamed for dismantling the catenary wire and the collapsed wire had been blamed for being snagged by the pantographs.
The meeting came after 19 days in which train service was delayed or suspended due to an infrastructure problem on the NEC or a broken down train. Last week, there were five days of service interruptions as trains and infrastructure withered in record heat.
“No one in the room is happy,” Murphy said.
Amtrak and NJ Transit officials have argued over whether the catenary that powers the trains or a broken down commuter train is the cause of some of the delays. Members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation have asked Amtrak to make short-term repairs to the Northeast Corridor and expedite permanent replacement of the 70- to 80-year-old catenary between New Brunswick and New York .
“There is a commitment to working transparently and together as a team to anticipate issues and enable commuters to get the experience they deserve,” Murphy said.
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., called on Amtrak officials to immediately replace the aging cable using part of the $6 billion Amtrak received from the bipartisan infrastructure law. Amtrak officials say they would have to apply for federal capital grants for a project of this scale that would require a significant amount of matching funds from NJ Transit.
Amtrak Board Chairman Tony Coscia said officials would consider using existing funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law and federal grants to permanently replace the aging catenary wire between North Brunswick and New York City which dates from the Roosevelt administration.
Gardner said Amtrak and NJ Transit plan to request discretionary funds from the Federal Railroad Administration to work on Northeast Corridor infrastructure between North Brunswick and Newark.
“We have two projects to apply for this year, one is to continue to begin the process of replacing the catenary between North Brunswick and Newark and upgrading the signaling systems,” he said. “These are the kind of long, generational improvements that will fundamentally replace these aging assets with a high-value, high-reliability system.”
A new overhead catenary cable is being installed along 3.5 miles of the Northeast Corridor as part of the Portal North Bridge project, replacing a problematic old span over the Hackensack River in Kearny that is more than 50 percent complete, he said.
The announcement of the permanent replacement of overhead wiring north from New Brunswick to New York City is an important milestone, as this project was on the Northeast Corridor Commission’s list of projects scheduled to be completed immediately. ‘by 2035, but it had no start date.
“Amtrak is committed to devoting resources. We have invested almost $550 million in the New Jersey portion of the Northeast Corridor,” Coscia said. “We are very interested in repairing New Jersey’s old infrastructure because it is a critical part of the Northeast Corridor. Can we anticipate the investment? This is something we are working on.
NJ Transit pays about $110 million a year for rent and maintenance on the corridor.
The service interruptions have frustrated riders and led U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., to be the latest lawmaker to call on New Jersey transit to suspend a 15 percent fare increase planned to come into force. effective July 1.
“Families deserve a break, not a fare increase, which is why I am calling on NJ Transit to pause and reevaluate these plans until New Jersey riders receive the reliable service they expect and deserve,” she said in a statement.
State Rep. Nancy Munoz, R-Union, proposed an amendment to the new state budget that would have prohibited fare increases of 15 percent during the five-year period in which public transit fees of company funded NJ Transit’s operating budget. That motion was filed 8-5, legislative officials said.
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You can reach Larry Higgs at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry