Neal, transportation officials deliver update on Compass Rail

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal announced a $1.2 million federal earmark for Knowledge Corridor Positive Train Control design on Platform C at Springfield’s Union Station on April 1.
Reminder Publishing photo by Sarah Heinonen

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and state officials joined legislators from Worcester County, the Berkshires and the Pioneer Valley at a roundtable to discuss updates to Compass Rail.

The state’s ambitious plan would connect Boston, New York City, Albany, New York, Connecticut and Vermont with a passenger rail.

Much of the conversation focused on West-East Rail, which would create round trips from Boston, through Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, to Albany. At Springfield’s Union Station, passengers would be able to connect to north-south routes that would build off the existing Amtrak Vermonter, Valley Flyer and Hartford Line/Northeast Regional. Amtrak is one of the partners involved in the Compass Rail expansion, and Massachusetts Department of Transportation Rail Administrator Meredith Slesinger said Amtrak was “a really good partner for us.”

Currently, there are no round trips between Worcester and Springfield, or Springfield and Pittsfield. There are three round trips from Springfield to Greenfield and nine from Springfield to New York City, via Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut. Despite the limited service, there are 230,000 trips on existing Massachusetts rail lines each year, with trips from Springfield to New York City representing the largest percentage of these.

Phase I will begin in 2030, with the Inland Route, a line that will include two round trips from Boston to Springfield to New Haven. In 2033, a station is set to be built in Palmer, and proposed enhancements to the Hartford Line will increase the number of round trips between Springfield and New Haven to 16. To reach this milestone, there will need to be an enhanced New Haven layover, in conjunction with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Operating costs are expected to increase by $3.5 million, to $15 million annually. Massachusetts Department of Transportation expects ridership numbers in Massachusetts to reach 575,000 per year.

Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng jokingly quoted the movie “Field of Dreams,” saying, “If you build it, they will come.”

In 2045, Phase III will bring full service to West-East Rail, with five round trips between Boston and Springfield and two between Springfield and Albany. To accommodate the new traffic, Boston’s South Station will be expanded, two or three additional trainsets will be purchased, and track infrastructure upgrades will be needed along the West-East Rail tracks.

West-East Rail Director Andy Koziol noted, “The work may not always happen in Western Massachusetts,” but projects in various locations will make the whole expansion possible.

Eight projects are underway to prepare for the next decade of changes. Koziol said, “These projects grew upon each other.” They include first steps of the Inland Route, the Boston & Albany Corridor ID Program and track reconfigurations in Springfield. Planning and design work for the Palmer Station and a second platform in Pittsfield is in the works. The CSX railroad crossing in West Springfield, which has long led to traffic delays, will receive a flyover rail bridge. Finally, a passive crossing improvement project is slated for Longmeadow. Koziol explained that some of the projects include straightening stretches of track, adding a second track or changing the signaling system.

Funding for the rail upgrades has been sourced from state, federal grants and earmarks, and through Amtrak. Slesinger said the expansion is “very reliant on discretionary grants.” To date, $157 million has been secured in federal rail grants, including $108 million from the Federal Railroad Administration in 2024 to plan, design and construct the Inland Route. A $3.5 million grant paid for the identification of service levels and needed capital projects for the Boston and Albany Corridor. An award of $36.8 million is pending from the Federal Railroad Administration for the final design of the Springfield track reconfigurations.

After the roundtable, Neal, Slesinger and Koziol announced a $1.2 million federal earmark for Knowledge Corridor Positive Train Control design, which Slesinger said is required under federal law and Eng called “critical technology.”

“This earmark is just the latest round of funding in what has been a sustained federal investment in passenger rail over the last several years,” said Neal. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was written in the Ways and Means Committee during my time as chairman, which is why I take great satisfaction in seeing Massachusetts continuing to realize the benefits of our historic efforts.”

An additional $173.2 million in grants for maintenance modernization for Springfield’s tracks are being sought.

After presenting the updates to Compass Rail, the state officials took questions from the legislators and stakeholders in the room. State Rep. Kelly Pease, who represents Westfield and Southampton, asked if any additional stops would be added between Springfield and Pittsfield. Koziol said none are currently planned, but a study is planned to help determine need.

State Sen. Jake Oliveira, representing the Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester district, asked if it was possible to construct the Palmer station earlier than it is now planned. Koziol said the right funding opportunity would be needed. “Things can change quickly, especially when dealing with federal funding,” he said. Plans for the Palmer station have not been finalized, but Koziol said it is “more real than it’s ever been.”

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, representing Pittsfield, asked about a route through the northern Berkshires. Slesinger said right-of-way track ownership between multiple entities increases the difficulty of planning such a route. Referring to the partnerships between MassDOT, Connecticut Department of Transportation, Amtrak and CSX, Eng said, “The public doesn’t care” which agency runs the transportation, only that it is “seamless.”

“No matter where you are, transportation is essential,” said Eng, and “rail is a key component.” Eng also emphasized the need to shorten trips and an express service. “If we want to have further distances, we have to have faster trips,” he said.

Eng said that every billion spent on transportation supports 40,000 jobs. He lauded Neal’s efforts to have CSX rail cars released from U.S. Customs, which had them impounded for the better part of a year due to concerns over forced labor. The allegations have since been cleared, and the cars were released.

In a press release about the Compass Rail update, Gov. Maura Healey said, “West-East rail is about more than transportation. It is about connecting people to jobs, education and opportunity across our state. Our administration has made this a priority because stronger rail connections mean a stronger economy for every region of Massachusetts. I’m grateful to Congressman Neal for his continued partnership in advancing this work and helping move this investment forward as we deliver reliable, modern rail service that people can count on.”