“I am pleased that funding from the economic recovery package is coming online so quickly,” said Stabenow. “At a time when Michigan’s families are hurting, these projects will certainly help create jobs and put more money in the pockets of Michigan’s working families. This latest announcement will further improve the safety and service of Amtrak in our state, while creating jobs.”

“Improving our mass transit systems will yield dividends for our economy by efficiently transporting people and goods, and for our environment by cutting down on the energy we use every day,” said Levin. “By investing in infrastructure in Michigan, I am hopeful this economic recovery funding will help us build toward a bright future.”

Amtrak will invest $60 million in Recovery Act funding in installing Positive Train Control (PTC) on its Porter, Indiana to Kalamazoo, Michigan line (used by Chicago – Detroit trains) and on the south-end of the Northeast Corridor (between New York and Washington). PTC is an advanced signaling technology that can prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments, train incursions into roadway work zones, and movement over switches improperly lined. The installation of PTC by 2015 on all routes used by intercity passenger trains is mandated by the recently enacted Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The Recovery Act funding will allow for the acceleration of the installation of PTC on lines owned by Amtrak, and will result in an immediate safety benefit, along with potential trip-time reductions where the advanced signaling system will allow for increased speeds.

The funding comes as part of $1.3 billion in ARRA grant funding that will roughly double the size of Amtrak’s capital investment program over a two-year period. It will be used to upgrade railroad assets and infrastructure and for capital projects that expand passenger rail capacity.