The Trump administration plans to reclaim control over Washington DC’s historic Union Station — an iconic rail hub that was once a grand, architectural gem that federal officials say has turned into a crime-ridden dump.
“Instead of being a point of pride, Washington’s Union Station has fallen into disrepair,” US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Wednesday statement, according to Bloomberg. “By reclaiming station management, we will help make this city safe and beautiful.”
The Department of Transportation has owned Union Station since the early 1980s, but has gradually handed control over to the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation [USRC], a nonprofit charged with preserving the historic travel hub, which opened in 1907. However, lack of revenue has seen the station deteriorate over the years.
The Trump administration plans to leverage the commercial aspects of Union Station as part of a new deal with Amtrak and USRC to fund improvements to elevators lighting, security and repairs to the roof and other major systems, according to the DOT announcement.
The agency said it “anticipates that reinvestment and improved security will dramatically improve the income from the station, which should unlock opportunities for private investment as part of potential expansion of the station.”
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Formal action confirming the USDOT’s renewed control of Washington Union Station is expected in September, officials said.
National Guard troops have guarded sites around the capital, including Union Station, since President Trump deployed them to the city streets to crack down on violent crime. Vice President JD Vance visited soldiers at the station last week.
The USDOT’s announcement comes as Amtrak revealed Wednesday its new high-speed Acela trains on the busy Northeast Corridor, which links Boston to Washington DC and is the busiest rail corridor in the country representing 20% of the US economy.
The new trains can run at speeds up to 160 mph — 10 miles faster than the current trains — and will be able to carry 27% more passengers.
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