Track inspection on the Northeast Corridor, 1970s.
Black and white photograph showing inspectors walking the right-of-way; dates to the 1970s.
- Photograph Details
-
- Date Archived:
- September 5, 2014
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
This image likely shows a group inspecting track work undertaken as part of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP) in the late 1970s - notice the freshly laid concrete ties on the track to the right.
Through the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 (4R Act), Amtrak gained ownership of the majority of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Washington, D.C., and Boston. In addition to the "spine" of the NEC, Amtrak purchased 62 miles of track between New Haven, Conn., and Springfield, Mass., and 103 miles between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa. Amtrak also obtained 128 railroad stations as well as maintenance shops and rail yards to service locomotives and rolling stock.
A major component of the 4R Act was the five-year NECIP. Improvements to tracks, stations, the electrical system, signals, and other corridor components were expected to reduce trip time and increase reliability.
Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak
