As Amtrak seeks to expand, restructure rail service, congressional support remains a question

Dive Brief: The Amtrak Board of Directors agreed on July 30 to establish a committee focused on expanding the passenger railroad across the country.

The announcement comes as Amtrak explores a corporate restructuring that would create three groups under the parent company focused on service, fleet management and infrastructure.

“Expanding passenger rail service is essential to meeting growing demand, strengthening mobility, and connecting more communities to economic opportunity,” Robert Gleason, Amtrak board member and chair of the system expansion committee, said in a statement.

The stopgap measure gives Congress and the White House until Dec. 11 to reauthorize surface transportation funding.

“The Congress that deals with Amtrak next year may look rather different from the Congress sitting in Washington today.”