Federal Government To Take Over DC's Union Station

Federal officials will take over the management of Washington’s Union Station, which Amtrak now runs.

Amtrak is a federally chartered corporation operating as a for-profit entity, with the U.S. government as its controlling shareholder.

As Jackson Richman reports for The Epoch Times, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the takeover during an event celebrating the launch of Amtrak’s NextGen Acela trains.

“He wants Union Station to be beautiful again,” Duffy said of President Donald Trump.

“He wants transit to be safe again, and he wants our nation’s capital to be great again.”

Duffy said that the move is not a power play, noting that the Department of Transportation has owned Union Station since the early 1980s.

“We’ve always had it, but we think that we can manage the property better, bring in more tenants, bring in more revenue,” he said.

“And that revenue is going to allow us to make investments in this beautiful building. It needs investments.

“It’s been, I think, neglected for decades, and it’s showing its age. And again, we want to make this place beautiful, and the premier train station, not just in America, but the premier train station in the world. And that takes money.”

Amtrak introduced its new line of Acela trains, which are high-speed and travel across the northeast United States.

“The launch of the new Acela is a critical starting point as we work to improve travel for millions of Americans,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Steve Bradbury said in a statement.

“Our nation’s capital should be putting our best foot forward.”

Amtrak President Roger Harris said,:

“Acela is synonymous with American high-speed trains, and today marks a new era of next-generation service,“ adding that ”the future of high-speed rail starts now.”

Likewise, Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia said in a statement:

“From the moment our guests step onboard, they’ll feel the difference of a NextGen Acela train thanks to a more modern, premium, and elevated experience.

“We are grateful for Secretary Duffy and Deputy Secretary Bradbury’s support on the project, and for helping it get over the finish line so Northeast Corridor residents and visitors can enjoy a whole new way to travel.”

National Guard troops have been stationed outside Union Station, which is close to the Capitol, as the Trump administration has looked to crack down on crime in the District of Columbia.

This has included a federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Duffy said robberies are down 52 percent in the district, while carjackings are down 38 percent. Overall, he said, violent crime has decreased by 40 percent.