Rail
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MBTA Wins $140 Million to Run More Trains to Lawrence and Haverhill
The grant funding will finance double-tracking along most of the line to support more frequent train service, plus new high-level boarding platforms at Reading, North Wilmington, Ballardvale, and Andover stations.
August 21, 2026
MassDOT In Talks With Connecticut for Hourly Springfield-NYC Amtrak Service
Expanded service between New York and Springfield is contingent on numerous big-ticket infrastructure projects, many of which are still years away from construction.
March 19, 2026
Trump’s Funding Freeze Derails Transit, Undermining Growth and Economic Opportunity For All Americans: Report
The second Trump administration has yet to sign a single contract to build new transit rail lines under the federal 'capital investment grants' program.
March 11, 2026
MBTA Teaming Up With Maryland to Procure New Battery-Electric Locomotives
The MBTA and the Maryland Transit Administration have issued a joint "request for proposals" to procure at least 25 new locomotives, more than half of which would operate on electric power from existing overhead wires on the MBTA's Providence Line and the MARC Penn Line.
February 25, 2026
Planned Springfield Station Expansion Anticipates More Amtrak Service in Western Mass.
MassDOT and Amtrak are working on plans for new tracks and platforms at Springfield Union Station in anticipation of a significant increase in passenger rail service between Boston and western Massachusetts.
February 24, 2026
Construction Is Underway On Back Bay Station Makeover
Developers are promising to deliver “a first-class transit hub.”
February 9, 2026
Photos: Amtrak’s $583 Million Project to Upgrade Its Boston Maintenance Facilities
The expanded maintenance building and associated yard upgrades will support the arrival of a brand-new fleet of Amtrak trains within the next few years.
November 11, 2025
MassDOT Begins Planning New Palmer Station for Future ‘Compass Rail’ Service
A new Amtrak station between Springfield and Worcester is part of the Commonwealth's plans to bring better rail service to more rural parts of the state.
September 25, 2025
Trump’s Budget Cuts Won’t Stop Cambridge From Bridging Its Communities
While the federal government has been pulling grant funding to exploit political divisions, communities like Cambridge are working to keep neighborhoods and people connected by replacing cancelled grants from Washington with alternative sources of funding.
September 23, 2025
Amtrak Debuts New Acela Trains, Begins Southampton Yard Expansion
Next week, on Thursday, Aug. 28, Amtrak will debut its new "NextGen" trains on its electrified Acela route between Washington, New York City, and Boston.
August 20, 2025