U.S. Code > Title 49 Transportation > SUBTITLE V—RAIL PROGRAMS (§§ 20101—28505) > PART C—PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION (§§ 24101—24910) > CHAPTER 249—NORTHEAST CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (§§ 24901—24910) > § 24909. Authorization of appropriations

§ 24909. Authorization of appropriations

(a) General.—
(1) Not more than $2,313,000,000 may be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation to achieve the goals of section 24902 (a)(1) [1] of this title. From this amount, the following amounts shall be expended by Amtrak:
(A) at least $27,000,000 for equipment modification and replacement that a State or a local or regional transportation authority must bear because of the electrification conversion system of the Northeast Corridor under this chapter.
(B) $30,000,000—
(i) to improve the main line track between the Northeast Corridor main line and Atlantic City, New Jersey, to ensure that the track, consistent with a plan New Jersey developed in consultation with Amtrak to provide rail passenger transportation between the Northeast Corridor main line and Atlantic City, New Jersey, would be of sufficient quality to allow safe rail passenger transportation at a minimum of 79 miles an hour not later than September 30, 1985; and
(ii) to promote rail passenger use of the track.
(C) necessary amounts to—
(i) develop Union Station in the District of Columbia;
(ii) install 189 track-miles, and renew 133 track-miles, of concrete ties with continuously welded rail between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(iii) install reverse signaling between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Morrisville, Pennsylvania, on numbers 2 and 3 track;
(iv) restore ditch drainage in concrete tie locations between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(v) undercut 83 track-miles between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(vi) rehabilitate bridges between the District of Columbia and New York, New York (including Hi line);
(vii) develop a maintenance of way equipment repair facility between the District of Columbia and New York, New York, and build maintenance of way bases at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sunnyside, New York, and Cedar Hill, Connecticut;
(viii) stabilize the roadbed between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(ix) automate the Bush River Drawbridge at milepost 72.14;
(x) improve the New York Service Facility to develop rolling stock repair capability;
(xi) install a rail car washer facility at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xii) restore storage tracks and buildings at the Washington Service Facility;
(xiii) install centralized traffic control from Landlith, Delaware, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xiv) improve track, including high speed surfacing, ballast cleaning, and associated equipment repair and material distribution;
(xv) rehabilitate interlockings between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(xvi) paint the Connecticut River, Groton, and Pelham Bay bridges;
(xvii) provide additional catenary renewal and power supply upgrading between the District of Columbia and New York, New York;
(xviii) rehabilitate structural, electrical, and mechanical systems at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
(xix) install evacuation and fire protection facilities in tunnels in New York, New York;
(xx) improve the communication and signal systems between Wilmington, Delaware, and Boston, Massachusetts, on the Northeast Corridor main line, and between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the Harrisburg Line;
(xxi) improve the electric traction systems between Wilmington, Delaware, and Newark, New Jersey;
(xxii) install baggage rack restraints, seat back guards, and seat lock devices on 348 passenger cars operating in the Northeast Corridor;
(xxiii) install 44 event recorders and 10 electronic warning devices on locomotives operating within the Northeast Corridor; and
(xxiv) acquire cab signal test boxes and install 9 wayside loop code transmitters for use within the Northeast Corridor.
(2) The following additional amounts may be appropriated to the Secretary for expenditure by Amtrak:
(A) not more than $150,000,000 to achieve the goal of section 24902 (a)(3) [1] of this title.
(B) not more than $120,000,000 to acquire interests in property in the Northeast Corridor.
(C) not more than $650,000 to develop and use mobile radio frequencies for passenger radio mobile telephone service on high-speed rail passenger transportation.
(D) not more than $20,000,000 to acquire and improve interests in rail property designated under section 206(c)(1)(D) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 716 (c)(1)(D)).
(E) not more than $37,000,000 to carry out section 24902 (a)(7) and (j) [1] of this title.
(b) Emergency Maintenance.— Not more than $25,000,000 of the amount appropriated under the Act of February 28, 1975 (Public Law 94–6, 89 Stat. 11), may be used by Amtrak for emergency maintenance on rail property designated under section 206(c)(1)(C) of the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973 (45 U.S.C. 716 (c)(1)(C)).
(c) Priority in Using Certain Amounts.— Amounts appropriated under subsection (a)(2)(B) and (D) of this section shall be used first to repay, with interest, obligations guaranteed under section 602 of the Rail Passenger Service Act, if the proceeds of those obligations were used to pay the expenses of acquiring interests in property referred to in subsection (a)(2)(B) and (D).
(d) Prohibition on Subsidizing Commuter and Freight Operating Losses.— Amounts appropriated under this section may not be used to subsidize operating losses of commuter rail or rail freight transportation.
(e) Substituting and Deferring Certain Improvements.—
(1) A project for which amounts are authorized under subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section is a part of the Northeast Corridor improvement program and is not a substitute for improvements specified in the document “Corridor Master Plan II, NECIP Restructured Program” of January, 1982. However, Amtrak may defer the project to carry out the improvement and rehabilitation for which amounts are authorized under subsection (a)(1)(B) of this section. The total cost of the project that Amtrak defers may not be substantially more than the amount Amtrak is required to expend or reserve under subsection (a)(1)(B).
(2) Section 24902 of this title is deemed not to be fulfilled until the projects under subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section are completed.
(f) Availability of Amounts.— Amounts appropriated under subsection (a)(1) and (2)(A) and (C)–(E) of this section remain available until expended.
(g) Authorizations Increased by Prior Year Deficiencies.— An amount greater than that authorized for a fiscal year may be appropriated to the extent that the amount appropriated for any prior fiscal year is less than the amount authorized for that year.

[1] See References in Text note below.