FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

$64.2M Project Improves MARC Train Maintenance and Operational Efficiency

BALTIMORE, MD (December 16, 2022) –  The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) today celebrated completion of the new MARC Riverside Heavy Maintenance Facility in Baltimore, a $64.2 million project improving MARC Train maintenance and operational efficiency. During a ribbon-cutting event attended by MDOT Secretary James F. Ports, Jr., MDOT MTA Administrator Holly Arnold and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Regional Administrator Terry Garcia Crews, officials said the new 35,000-square-foot facility will enhance locomotive and railcar maintenance capabilities and support major transit improvements along the Northeast Corridor.

“Maintaining a balanced transportation system in a state of good repair is critical to customers and communities we serve across Maryland,” said Secretary Ports. “The new MARC Riverside facility exemplifies our commitment to improve our transit network, maintain convenient and reliable service, and provide customers with options that can help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce vehicle emissions.”

The MARC Riverside facility includes four maintenance slots for locomotives undergoing heavy maintenance and repair, which will free up the existing shop building to streamline preventative maintenance and federally required inspections. Improved equipment and maintenance repair times provides operational flexibility – decreasing repair times, increasing fleet availability, and improving on-time performance.

“I’m excited for the impact this facility will have on our MARC Train service,” said Administrator Arnold. “With its specialized machinery, this building will enable MARC to improve service and operate more efficiently for decades to come.”

The new facility is set to be fully operational by mid-2023. Maintenance staff will now begin a testing and commission period for the facility’s wheel truing machine and drop table. That process must be completed for each type of MARC vehicle and will take several months. The building is designed to accommodate future rolling stock, allowing MTA to procure dual-mode or electric locomotives in the future to operate on the Penn Line. 

The new maintenance facility also supports future projects for MARC Train including the proposed Penn-Camden Connector, a commuter rail connection between the two rail lines. It is also an enabling project for the future Frederick Douglass Tunnel/B&P Tunnel Replacement project.

MDOT MTA is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States. MDOT MTA operates systems that include Local Bus, Commuter Bus, Light RailLink, Metro SubwayLink, MARC Train Service and a comprehensive Mobility paratransit network. MDOT MTA’s goal is to provide safe, efficient and reliable transit across Maryland with world-class customer service. As a participating agency in APTA’s Health and Safety Commitment Program, MDOT MTA is dedicated to keeping our employees and passengers safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more, visit https://www.mta.maryland.gov or on Facebook at facebook.com/mtamaryland, YouTube.com/TheMTAMaryland and follow us on Twitter @mtamaryland.


MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jerimiah Moerke                               
Office: 410-767-8367                         
Cell: 667-392-3625
jmoerke@mdot.maryland.gov

Paul Shepard
Office: 410-767-3935
Cell: 443-622-4181
pshepard@mdot.maryland.gov

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