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Tampa's Silver Star to benefit from rail car restoration

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 16, 2009

TAMPA - Amtrak passengers in Tampa will get to ride in the first of 81 passenger rail cars restored to service with $90.8 million in federal stimulus funds.

The rail cars, along with 15 locomotives also being restored with federal money, will be used on 10 trains, including the Silver Star, which serves Tampa on its New York-Miami route.

The first rail car, an Amfleet II coach, has been out of service since April 2005 after being damaged in a rail yard collision in Hialeah. It cost about $687,000 to restore the car, which could operate for 40 years.

Amtrak hired 55 employees in Delaware and 108 in Indiana on equipment restoration projects, in addition to adding 200 jobs for other stimulus projects nationwide.

Amtrak acquired the single-level Amfleet II coach fleet in the late 1970s. Each rail car seats 60.

Returning equipment to service will help address the railroad's chronic equipment shortage problems.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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