U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the federal government is reclaiming management of Washington, DC’s Union Station.
“With these new Acela trainsets, Amtrak will provide more reliable service and lower prices for the American people – all while increasing the organization’s profitability,” said Duffy. “But we’re not stopping there. Instead of being a point of pride, Washington’s Union Station has fallen into disrepair. By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful at a fraction of the cost.”
The new Acela trains are the “first high-speed trains built in America,” Alstom CEO Henry Poupart-Lafarge said. “The team at Alstom has brought nearly five decades of global experience in high-speed rail to the United States to deliver the fastest and most technologically advanced trains in the nation.”
The Department of Transportation has owned Union Station since the 1980s, but has reduced its management of the site under various agreements. USDOT will now “leverage the valuable commercial aspects of Union Station, under the direct management of USRC, to reinvest in Union Station,” the department said in a news release on the matter, listing primary needs such as improving elevators, lighting, and security, as well as enhancements to passenger experiences and replacing the roof.
According to the USDOT, the investment in Union Station will “unlock opportunities for private investment as part of potential expansion of the station.”
In 2024, Amtrak took responsibility for the station’s management, operations, and commercial office space, while the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) served as its “landlord,” Union Station’s website explains. “While the [Federal Railroad Administration] owns the Union Station complex, under a 99-year lease agreement, USRC manages the station’s subleases and will continue working with Amtrak to enhance the experience for all station users.”
