Amtrak's 2012 construction program has a heavy emphasis on the Northeast Corridor, with several new and continuing projects. In a move that could assist longer-range plans, the White House on Jan. 13 announced a pilot program to expedite environmental reviews for future high-speed-rail projects on the Washington, D.C.-to-Boston line.
But that initiative isn't expected to affect Amtrak's 2012 projects. Amtrak President Joseph Boardman says this year's list includes moving forward on engineering for a $450-million electrical system and track upgrade from Trenton to New Brunswick, N.J.