Amtrak Begins Construction of $462m Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia

Amtrak, the US national rail company, has started construction on a new $462 million train maintenance facility at Penn Coach Yard in Philadelphia. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the facility is designed to modernize train maintenance processes, reduce turnaround times, and improve service efficiency. Scheduled to open in 2027, it will support Amtrak’s Acela, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, and Pennsylvanian trains, offering daily inspections, cleaning, lifecycle maintenance, and heavy repairs.

The facility, spanning nearly 350,000 square feet within the existing rail yard, will feature advanced maintenance and inspection bays, inspection pits, a drop table, and fueling pads. It will also include a new direct fixation track, updates to the catenary structure, and additional storage and utility upgrades. These enhancements are expected to increase service frequency across Pennsylvania and the Northeast Corridor (NEC), improving the overall customer experience.

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner emphasized the importance of the facility in upgrading rail services, stating that it will complement other major infrastructure projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The construction will occur in two phases within the current yard’s footprint, minimizing disruptions to customers. In addition to the Philadelphia facility, Amtrak plans to renovate six other major rail yards, including one in the Pacific Northwest, and construct or upgrade several layover sites outside the NEC to support train cleaning, servicing, and storage needs.