Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s administration announced a major step toward permanent seasonal Berkshire Flyer service and expanded passenger rail in Western Massachusetts. An agreement between the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and CSX will advance critical rail infrastructure improvements in Pittsfield that will reduce conflicts between passenger and freight trains and support permanent seasonal Berkshire Flyer service.
The administration also announced that new federal funding awarded to Amtrak for additional modern trainsets will support Compass Rail services, including the Berkshire Flyer and the future Inland Route between Boston, Springfield and New Haven.
Since launching in 2022, the Berkshire Flyer has provided seasonal weekend passenger rail service between New York City and Pittsfield, connecting residents and visitors with the Berkshires’ businesses, cultural attractions and recreation opportunities. The 2026 season expanded service with an additional round trip, including new opportunities for Berkshire County residents to travel to New York City.
Under the new agreement with CSX, MassDOT will fund construction of a siding and other track improvements in the Pittsfield area to increase rail capacity and reduce conflicts between passenger and freight operations. MassDOT will also explore the feasibility of a new platform at Pittsfield Station.
MassDOT included $31 million in its FY 2027-2031 Capital Investment Plan to fund this work. Once completed, the improvements will provide the infrastructure needed to support permanent seasonal weekend Berkshire Flyer service and lay additional groundwork for expanded passenger rail in Western Massachusetts.
The agreement follows a comprehensive rail operations modeling study completed in July 2024 that examined passenger and freight operations along the Boston and Albany Corridor. That work identified infrastructure improvements in the Pittsfield area that can increase capacity and reduce freight conflicts affecting passenger rail.
The announcement comes as Amtrak has been awarded approximately $2 billion in federal funding through the Federal Railroad Administration’s National Railroad Partnership Program for additional Siemens Airo trainsets.
The Berkshire Flyer improvements and new trainsets are part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s broader Compass Rail vision, including West-East Rail, to expand intercity passenger rail within Massachusetts and strengthen connections with neighboring states.
The administration has made significant progress advancing that vision, including:
- $108 million in federal funding secured in 2023 for infrastructure improvements supporting future Inland Route service between Boston and New Haven through Springfield, the first phase of West-East service between Boston and Albany;
- $36.8 million secured in 2024 for the Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project to design track, signal and infrastructure improvements at Springfield Union Station;
- $3.5 million secured for the Boston-Albany Corridor Service Development Plan, an important step toward expanding passenger rail between Boston, Springfield, Pittsfield and Albany; and
- Continued state investments in rail infrastructure, including the $31 million Pittsfield Track Capacity Project and planning and design for a future Palmer station.
Existing MassDOT-supported Compass Rail services operated by Amtrak include the Vermonter, Valley Flyer, Hartford Line and Berkshire Flyer. Future Compass Rail service includes the Inland Route between Boston and New Haven through Springfield and expanded service along the Boston-Albany Corridor through Pittsfield.
-via Press Release
