Amtrak and NJ Transit Officials Tell New Jersey Panel decades of underinvestment led to summer disruptions; agencies seek long work windows and federal match

Amtrak Chief Executive Steven Gardner and New Jersey Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett told the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee that decades of deferred repairs and aging electrical systems were central to a series of service failures that disrupted commuter and intercity rail service on the Northeast Corridor this spring and summer.

Gardner, testifying for Amtrak, described the scale of the corridor and the company’s capital push: “we're deeply sorry for those that are impacted,” he said, apologizing for passenger hardships and stressing that the company is increasing inspections, hiring outside experts and working with the Federal Railroad Administration on root‑cause investigations. Gardner said Amtrak executed its largest capital program in fiscal 2024 — about $4.5 billion — and that the bipartisan infrastructure law has created a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to replace antique…