Amtrak has announced a revised long-distance fleet replacement strategy that will transition all of its long-distance routes to a standardized, single-level passenger car design, a move that will affect service through Erie.
The plan prioritizes fleet standardization, expanded competition among railcar manufacturers, and reduced program risk, while accelerating replacement of aging equipment. Under the proposal, Amtrak will retire its current mix of bi-level and single-level long-distance cars and replace them with a universal single-level fleet.
For Erie, the changes would impact the city’s Amtrak station along the Lake Shore Limited route, which connects New York City and Boston to Chicago. The line serves as Erie’s primary passenger rail connection to the Northeast and Midwest.
Amtrak officials said the updated approach follows analysis of operational challenges tied to maintaining a hybrid fleet. The strategy also incorporates industry feedback from a previous request for proposals for bi-level cars and findings from a joint review conducted with the Federal Railroad Administration.
According to Amtrak, the first of the new long-distance cars are expected to enter service in the early 2030s.
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, whose district includes Erie, issued a statement supporting the plan and previously submitted a letter backing the project. Federal transportation officials, including representatives from the Federal Railroad Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation, also commented on the initiative, citing goals of improved reliability, accessibility, and domestic rail manufacturing.
The timeline for procurement and manufacturing has not yet been finalized, but Amtrak indicated the revised request for proposals process is intended to move the project forward more efficiently.
