Compass Rail
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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
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
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
Western Mass. Amtrak Expansions Are Flush With Funding, But New Routes Won’t Debut ‘Til 2030s
Years of work remain before new Amtrak routes start rolling through Springfield to connect Boston, Albany, and New Haven.
May 14, 2025
Feds Commit More Funding For Springfield Passenger Rail Improvements
The 2024 round of grants from a federal railroad infrastructure program will send more money to add track capacity at Springfield Union Station, where several proposed new Amtrak routes would converge under the state's "Compass Rail" plan.
October 29, 2024
MassDOT Wins More Federal Funds to Plan Increased Boston-Albany Amtrak Service
Last week, the Biden administration's Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $500,000 grant to MassDOT to plan for additional Amtrak service between Boston and Albany.
December 11, 2023
Officials Announce $108 Million Federal Grant to Build East-West Rail
The proposed track improvements could enable Amtrak trains to run at speeds up to 80 mph between Boston and Springfield.
September 22, 2023
MassDOT Seeking Funds to Add More Frequent, Faster Worcester-Springfield Passenger Rail Service
MassDOT estimates that its proposed track improvements could enable Amtrak trains to run up to 80 mph, and reduce the time for passenger rail trips between Boston and Springfield to 2 hours and 10 minutes – roughly the same amount of time it takes to drive.
July 24, 2023