Amtrak will spend $115m to upgrade railway tracks, buildings and control systems in Chicago, US.
The US-based operator has awarded a $106.2m contract to Jacobs, and subcontractors Kiewit Western and Swanson Contracting to replace around five miles of track and repair buildings used to inspect and maintain Amtrak trains at Chicago Union Station.
Amtrak said it would also build a new $9m control centre in Chicago to manage and dispatch its rail traffic in four areas, and to offer interconnections with territories owned by Northeast Illinois Commuter Rail Corp.
The upgrades are expected to improve reliability and safety, and benefit an average of 130,000 weekday commuters.
Work on the projects is underway and is scheduled to be complete by February 2011.
Amtrak obtained the funds from $1.2bn of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which has been marked for railroad works in Illinois.
