By Rick Karlin | Times Union, Albany
Rensselaer, N.Y. — Buoyed by the prospect of federal infrastructure funding, Massachusetts transportation officials and lawmakers are urging Amtrak to start a regular Boston-to-Albany train schedule.
And New York agrees.
Under a request that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation just filed with the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak could run three trains per day from Albany to Boston and back.
The line currently runs one such trip as part of its Lake Shore Ltd. service that runs west to Chicago.
Recently, the Massachusetts Legislature appropriated $275 million in bond funding this year toward track corridor improvements on the line. That’s on top of the $50 million appropriated in 2020. The state money would be used as local match to generate additional federal funds from the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill that was signed by President Joe Biden in November.
“This is a game changer for adding more rail service between Boston and Albany,” said Gary Prophet, president of the Empire State Passenger Association, which pushes for better rail service.
Prophet noted that the Albany stop, actually located in Rensselaer, already has the necessary storage yard, maintenance facilities and passenger station size to handle more train service.
Massachusetts officials have previously pushed for more service to Boston, but with runs that would end in Pittsfield, about a half-hour east of Albany. But they concluded it made more sense to bring the line into Albany with more potential passengers and higher demand.
Bay State Gov. Charles Baker’s administration last month filed a request for the Federal Railroad Administration to consider funding for the upgraded Boston- Albany run, which also would go through Springfield, Mass.
In New York, the administration of Gov. Kathy Hochul agrees. The New York state Department of Transportation supports Massachusetts’ request for the federal rail agency to consider funding the expansion of service, a DOT spokesman said.
Amtrak appears to support the idea, with spokesman Jason Abrams saying it would refer questions to the Massachusetts officials. Amtrak, though, may have limits on the number of available passenger cars and personnel, noted ESPA spokesman Steven Strauss.
An expanded service could require the acquisition of more people.
Amtrak on Wednesday held a job fair, one of many nationwide, at the Albany Hilton.
There are 55 openings for a variety of jobs ranging from assistant conductors to machinists to electricians, sheet metal workers and more.
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