Sherrill, Pallone, and Menendez Press Amtrak for Answers After Most Recent NJ TRANSIT Service Breakdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), along with Representatives Frank Pallone (NJ-06) and Rob Menendez (NJ-08), are continuing to hold Amtrak accountable for disruptions and delays on the Northeast Corridor, which have impacted NJ TRANSIT riders and service across the Garden State. 

Reps. Sherrill, Pallone, and Menendez are demanding that Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg support federal grant funding for NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak to improve wiring, signals, and track on the Northeast Corridor and provide a schedule regarding how Amtrak intends to use the $6 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds appropriated for state-of-good-repair work along the NEC to make immediate, critical repairs.

“[We] remain greatly concerned about the overwhelming need for long-term maintenance and repair work. Underscoring this point, New Jersey commuters’ lives were again thrown into chaos on Sunday, July 21st, when downed wiring on Amtrak tracks between Metropark and Newark Penn Station led to the cancellation of dozens of NJ TRANSIT trains and delays of over two hours. For many New Jerseyans, their commutes were delayed for the third or fourth time just in the past month. Thousands of our constituents are undoubtedly questioning if commuting by train to work or for leisure is even worth it at this point, which will only worsen congestion on our roads and pollution in our communities if not addressed,” wrote the lawmakers.

Reps. Sherrill, Pallone, and Menendez were joined by the entire Democratic New Jersey Congressional Delegation, including: Reps. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

Last month, Sherrill and Rep. Rob Menendez (NJ-08) led the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation in demanding that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg launch an investigation into significant Amtrak malfunctions along the Northeast Corridor that have caused thousands of hours of delays for NJ TRANSIT commuters and New Jersey families. Their advocacy comes as a direct response to this and last week’s breakdowns that canceled or delayed 130 NJ TRANSIT trains and left thousands of New Jerseyans stranded without access to rail transportation, given NJ TRANSIT’s status as a tenant on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor that cannot direct repairs on Amtrak property. 

The full text of the letter is here and below:

Dear Secretary Buttigieg:

Last month, New Jersey families who depend on reliable and accessible passenger rail service to make ends meet and support their loved ones were forced to endure six hour-plus delays on their NJ TRANSIT commutes due to breakdowns on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor route. Over just two days, more than 130 NJ TRANSIT trains were canceled or delayed due to circuit breaker and overhead wiring malfunctions on the New York City to Philadelphia section of Amtrak tracks. This was especially frustrating because NJ TRANSIT is merely a tenant on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and is therefore unable to direct repairs on Amtrak property to get its own trains running again. This situation was not an isolated incident – Amtrak disruptions created serious delays for NJ TRANSIT customers no less than 19 times in May and June alone, and have become a regular problem well into the summer.

Following these incidents and enormous outreach to our offices from frustrated constituents, members from the New Jersey Congressional Delegation sent you a letter on June 25th urging the Department of Transportation to conduct a thorough investigation into what led to breakdowns along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor and to immediately begin repair and maintenance work to upgrade track and wiring, including through funds that Congress appropriated for Amtrak through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. On June 27th, we were pleased to see Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT commit to working together on a comprehensive investigation of the structural causes of these disruptions and how reliability can be quickly improved.

However, we remain greatly concerned about the overwhelming need for long-term maintenance and repair work. Underscoring this point, New Jersey commuters’ lives were again thrown into chaos on Sunday, July 21st, when downed wiring on Amtrak tracks between Metropark and Newark Penn Station led to the cancellation of dozens of NJ TRANSIT trains and delays of over two hours. For many New Jerseyans, their commutes were delayed for the third or fourth time just in the past month. Thousands of our constituents are undoubtedly questioning if commuting by train to work or for leisure is even worth it at this point, which will only worsen congestion on our roads and pollution in our communities if not addressed.

We have appreciated the responsiveness of Amtrak CEO Steve Gardner so far, who has spoken to members of the delegation each week about potential solutions to ongoing service disruptions. We understand Amtrak and NJ Transit have submitted federal grant requests to improve the electric traction system and signals between North Brunswick and Newark, with decisions expected by September. These grants are critical to modernizing our rail infrastructure and avoiding future delays. We strongly urge the Department of Transportation to give fair and careful consideration to these applications and stand ready to provide any further information needed to support them.

Additionally, Congress appropriated $6 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for the Northeast Corridor’s maintenance backlog, specifically repair work to address state-of-good-repair projects. We were proud to secure this funding for precisely this purpose, and these funds should be used to address the problem right now. We request that the Department of Transportation have Amtrak provide a schedule regarding how it intends to spend the funds appropriated for state-of-good-repair on New Jersey’s portion of the Northeast Corridor in order to address the breakdowns and malfunctions that are compromising Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT's ability to provide passenger rail service that functions consistently, reliably, and accountably. We also believe more must be done in the interim to inform riders about outage plans, repairs, and other improvements affecting their daily commute. We ask that you urgently outline a plan to keep commuters fully informed of planned and unplanned disruptions.

Thank you for your continued attention to this urgent matter that is impacting the quality of life of tens of thousands of New Jerseyans. We have been enthusiastic supporters of your work to revitalize American public transportation, including your wholehearted efforts to secure federal approval for the Gateway Tunnel project. We look forward to working together to ensure that New Jersey families don’t face these delays any longer.

Since first taking office, Sherrill has strongly advocated for New Jersey’s effort to modernize rail infrastructure, build the Gateway Tunnel, cut commuting times, and reduce transit costs for New Jersey families. She helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, which provided $6 billion specifically for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor route to address the maintenance backlog and improve track safety and reliability. Sherrill also supports the Stronger Communities through Better Transit Act, which would provide $80 billion over four years for public transit systems – including NJ Transit – to support their operating budgets and help them expand access to public transportation.

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