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3h ago

USDOT Moves to Reclaim Management of D.C.'s Union Station

USDOT targets a September formalization of a new agreement with Amtrak plus the station’s nonprofit landlord to enable repairs and security upgrades.

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)
Amtrak Police officers patrol Union Station, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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U.S. National Guard members patrol inside Union Station, after U.S. President Donald Trump deployed National Guard and ordered an increased presence of federal law enforcement to assist in crime prevention, in Washington, DC, U.S., August 21, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon/File Photo

Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced plans to take back operational control of the federally owned rail hub, citing disrepair and safety concerns.
  • The department is renegotiating a cooperative agreement with the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation and Amtrak, with a formal action expected next month.
  • Planned capital work includes new elevators, improved lighting, security enhancements, a roof replacement and other major systems upgrades.
  • National Guard troops have been posted in and around the station as part of the administration’s broader security posture in Washington after a federal takeover of local policing.
  • The move was unveiled as Amtrak launched its NextGen Acela trains, and it follows earlier federal interventions at New York’s Penn Station and pressure that led to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner’s March departure.