Delaware economic development officials are proposing a feasibility study examining an maintenance center for Amtrak’s fastest trains focused on the heavy locomotive maintenance yards at Wilmington or another suitable spot in northern Delaware.
Official say they will propose contributing $500,000 to a railway study. The Wilmington News-Journal reports that the state outlay is slated to come to a vote by the state Council on Economic Development Finance on Sept. 26. The center could eventually create 100 or more new jobs in the state and may protect Delaware’s current passenger rail maintenance workforce.
Delaware Economic Development Office Director Alan Levin says Amtrak had explored other locations, but is now concentrating on Delaware, where it has operations in Wilmington and Bear.