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Funding provided through investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Congressman Paul Tonko announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded more than $151 million in funding for high speed rail in upstate New York, which comes on the back of over $4.5 million in the FY 2010 Transportation Appropriations bill.  This funding will include construction of a second track along the rail corridor between the Schenectady and Albany-Rensselaer train stations. Combined, these investments will better the local economy and improve trip time for more than 56 weekly passenger trains and over 350 weekly cargo trains. 

“These investments are welcomed news in the Capital Region” said Congressman Tonko. “By investing in double tracking between Schenectady and Albany we can help develop the economy of downtown Schenectady, the only city in the region with a downtown train station, and improve trip time not only for those in the region but for travel across Upstate New York.  I want to thank the Upstate New York delegation, led by Chairwoman Louise Slaughter, for working hard to deliver this investment to help revitalize our Upstate economy.”

When a single track delay occurs the current average delay is 13 minutes for passenger trains, and can last as long as 26 minutes.  Amtrak recorded delay data suggests passenger trains were held in either Albany-Rensselaer or Schenectady due to single track occupancy over 750 instances in calendar year 2008 for a total of approximately 10,000 minutes of delay – which is more than 1650 hours of delay. Double tracking this section will improve travel times and reliability.

From Albany to Buffalo the scheduled trip time is currently 4 hour and 55 minutes, but the average trip time is 5 hours and 44 minutes.  Making upgrades and investing in high speed rail can bring the actual trip time down to 4 hour and 55 minutes in the near term and possibly 3 hour and 42 minutes in the long term.

Other funds will go towards the final design of the Adirondack – Ballston Spa capacity improvements, Empire Corridor planning, preliminary design for third tracks, and repair of the Rochester and Buffalo-Depew station facilities. 

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