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4h ago

USDOT Reclaims Management of D.C.’s Union Station From Amtrak

USDOT says reclaiming control will fund repairs through station revenues.

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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Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the move on Wednesday, with a renegotiated cooperative agreement with Amtrak and the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation to be finalized and formal action expected in September.
  • The department outlined upgrades to elevators, lighting, security, and the roof, with officials saying increased commercial income at the station would finance reinvestment and could support a potential expansion.
  • Union Station is owned by the Federal Railroad Administration, and Amtrak had assumed operational management in 2024 before this shift back to direct federal oversight.
  • Officials framed the takeover as part of President Donald Trump’s broader push to clean up the capital, which includes a $2 billion beautification request to Congress and ongoing National Guard and federal law enforcement deployments around the station.
  • Critics questioned the necessity of the intervention, pointing to Metropolitan Police Department data showing violent crime declines even as the administration cites safety and upkeep concerns at the hub.