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4h ago

DOT Moves to Reclaim Management of Washington Union Station

A formal order is expected in September after renegotiating agreements with Amtrak, the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation.

FILE - People walk to Union Station as District of Columbia National Guard soldiers stand outside their M-ATV, Aug. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
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Amtrak Police officers patrol Union Station, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that USDOT will reclaim station management and is renegotiating a cooperative agreement with Amtrak and USRC, with formal action targeted for September.
  • Officials cite safety concerns, disrepair and homelessness as justification, and the plan outlines near-term upgrades to elevators, lighting, security and the roof, with potential expansion and private investment.
  • Union Station is owned by the Federal Railroad Administration, but operational control had been diluted through leases, including recent Amtrak moves to control retail operations through eminent domain.
  • The step extends broader federal assertions in Washington, including National Guard deployments and federal control of local policing, with troops currently posted at Union Station.
  • The announcement coincided with Amtrak’s launch of NextGen Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor, as Amtrak operates under President Roger Harris without a named CEO following Stephen Gardner’s March departure.