Amtrak breaks ground on $462 million maintenance facility at Penn Coach Yard

Amtrak broke ground Friday on a new heavy maintenance facility at the Penn Coach Yard that the railroad says will improve service along the East Coast.

The sprawling 350,000-square-foot project will build on existing structures on the site near 30th Street Station. The planned upgrades include new storage buildings, gas stations, inspection pits and service and cleaning tracks – all of which will speed up train maintenance and shorten turnaround times, the company said. The $462 million facility was funded by the Biden administration's 2021 infrastructure bill. The opening is planned for 2027.

MORE: PSPCA takes in dogs from Tennessee animal shelter after Hurricane Helene

Amtrak said customers will not experience a significant impact from the construction, which will occur in two phases. The new facility will serve trains on the Northeast Corridor route, which runs from Boston to Washington, DC. With over 12 million annual trips, the corridor is Amtrak's busiest.

The project is one of six planned upgrades to major Amtrak stations, five of which are in the Northeast. The Philadelphia plant is the first to begin construction.

It's not the only Amtrak upgrade in the region. The train also began a renovation project at the 30th Street Station in January, temporarily closing the food court. The reopening is expected to take place in summer 2025.

Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
| @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Do you have a news tip? Let us know.