Rail Passengers Applauds Pres. Biden's Plan for Rail

For Immediate Release (21-06)

Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail (202) 320-2723; sjeansgail@narprail.org

Rail Passengers Applauds President Biden’s Visionary Plan for Passenger Trains

Washington, D.C.—The Rail Passengers Association applauds President Biden’s visionary plan for a dramatic expansion of the U.S. passenger rail network unveiled today at an event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“The American Jobs Plan will build new rail corridors and transit lines—easing congestion, cutting pollution, slashing commute times, and opening up investment in communities that become connected to the cities, and cities to the outskirts where a lot of jobs are these days," said President Biden during a speech held at a carpenters training facility in Pittsburgh.

“You and your family could travel coast to coast without a single tank of gas onboard a high-speed train,” the President added.

The American Jobs Plan calls for an eight-year investment blitz, with $80 billion targeted towards upgrading and expanding intercity rail, $85 billion to modernize mass transit, and $25 billion for projects of national significance.

“President Biden’s plan would revolutionize the way Americans travel, finally launching U.S. passengers into the 21st century,” said Jim Mathews, Rail Passengers’ President & CEO. “This plan represents new rail cars, new corridors, new city pairs and more frequencies on the National Network. Our members stand ready to work with the Biden Administration and the entire U.S. Congress in passing this plan into law.”

Under Biden’s plan, intercity rail alone would receive a 400% boost in funding. The White House identified Amtrak as an important beneficiary, highlighting the need to address the railroad’s state-of-good repair backlog and modernize the Northeast Corridor. Additionally, projects like Amtrak’s Gateway tunnels under the Hudson River would benefit from funding for mass transit and projects of national significance.

With an emphasis on electrification and expanding service to new corridors, states are sure to play a key role in determining which projects get funded. That’s good news for projects like California’s high-speed rail system, which the state has been advancing with little federal support since a grant awarded in 2009.

The Biden Administration also pointed to a backlog of 5,000 rail cars in need of replacement and renewal, which would trigger a renaissance for the U.S. rail manufacturing industry.

View the full fact sheet for the American Jobs Plan.

About Rail Passengers Association

The Rail Passengers Association is the oldest and largest national organization serving as a voice for the more than 40 million rail passengers in the U.S. Our mission is to improve and expand conventional intercity and regional passenger train services, support higher speed rail initiatives, increase connectivity among all forms of transportation and ensure safety for our country's trains and passengers. All of this makes communities safer, more accessible and more productive, improving the lives of everyone who lives, works and plays in towns all across America.

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