Overview

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the department is renegotiating a cooperative agreement with the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation and Amtrak to restore federal management, with formal confirmation expected in September.
• USDOT cited safety issues and deferred maintenance, pledging upgrades to elevators, lighting, security, the roof, and other major systems.
• Officials said reinvestment is expected to boost station income and could unlock private funding linked to a potential expansion.
• National Guard troops remain a visible presence at the station under the administration’s wider assertion of federal control in Washington, which has included taking over the city’s police department.
• The announcement coincides with Amtrak’s unveiling of NextGen Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor, capable of 160 mph with 27% more seats per set, though higher-speed segments will be limited at first.