Amtrak representatives and stakeholders gathered with state, local and federal officials for a ribbon cutting to inaugurate a newly constructed boarding platform at Baltimore Penn Station. The new platform is scheduled to begin serving trains this spring. This project is part of Amtrak’s overall redevelopment of Baltimore Penn Station, a $150 million investment to improve customer experience and grow passenger rail.
Baltimore Penn Station is the eighth busiest station on the Amtrak network, with more than three million Amtrak and MARC passengers moving through the facility each year. Over the past year, Amtrak ridership increased 29% in Baltimore, surpassing the 24% growth in Amtrak ridership nationwide.
The new boarding platform will provide over 1,000 linear feet of space, including pedestrian pathways and new elevators for ADA accessibility. The project also includes a renovated headhouse, roofing and historical restoration of the columns and canopies for each of the platforms.
This new high-level platform will offer Amtrak more operational flexibility. When other platforms that high-speed trains typically use are already occupied, the new platform will be available for passengers to board or disembark.
This new platform is one of two being built at Baltimore Penn Station. The second platform is scheduled for completion in Fall 2024. These two new high-level platforms will support Amtrak’s expansion of high-speed train service with new Acela trains scheduled to debut later this year.
-via Press Release
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