The story focused on the need for infrastructure improvements on Amtrak's dedicated passenger service rail line known as the Northeast Corridor. Stretching from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Mass., Amtrak owns the 100-year-old electrified right-of-way that was originally built by the great Pennsylvania Railroad during the golden age of railroading at the turn of the century. That age has come and gone, leaving behind a slew of deteriorating majestic steel bridges and stone-lined tunnels. It's this aging infrastructure that hamstrings Amtrak's high-speed Acela Express trains, allowing them to reach their top speed of 150 mph at only one segment in Rhode Island on the entire corridor.

New Jersey Transit commuter trains emerge (Left) and enter (Right) the Hudson River Tunnel underneath Madison Square Garden in Penn Station on Monday, August 6, 2012. The tunnel has reached it's operating capacity with 24 trains traveling through it's Southern bore every hour during the morning rush. Luke Sharrett for The New York Times.

A Long Island Railroad Train is parked in the bowels of Penn Station underneath Madison Square Garden just after the morning rush on Monday, August 6, 2012.

Amtrak passengers await updated train information before boarding Amtrak trains at Penn Station in New York City. Nationally, Amtrak ridership is at a record 30 million people annually, and the Northeast Corridor accounts for more than a third of that. It is virtually the only portion of the system that makes money.

Track maps in Amtrak's Penn Station Central Control center in New York City track Amtrak and New Jersey Transit train movements from NYC through New Jersey and detail empty and occupied platforms at Penn Station.

An Amtrak Acela Express trainset traverses Hell Gate Bridge in Astoria en route to Penn Station in New York City on Monday, August 6, 2012. 

Boston's South Station. Delta and US Airways shuttles have been the preferred mode of travel between Northeast cities. But air passengers are facing high fares, slow airport security lines and frequent flight delays. Amtrak, offering high-speed trains, online ticketing and work station amenities, has eaten away at the airlines’ share of passengers. 

Graffiti on the corridor between Philly and Trenton, N.J. Despite Amtrak’s popularity, tight budgets and  Congressional opposition could provide an opening for its competitors to seize market share.

Acela first class attendant Willa Carr prepares meals for passengers while traveling more than 100 mph. 

The railroad spends about $350 million a year keeping bridges, tunnels and rails in working condition. It has replaced some older bridges, like the 100-year-old Niantic River bridge in Connecticut so trains can operate over them at greater speeds.

Concrete ties, like those seen here South of the Niantic River bascule bridge in Waterford, Conn. also allow for faster speeds on the corridor. 

30th Street Station. Phildelphia, Penn. 

A Northbound Amtrak Acela rolls past the Philadelphia skyline. Amtrak says that traffic in the Northeast corridor could reach 43.5 million passengers annually by 2040, almost four times today’s level. Last month, Amtrak unveiled an ambitious $151 billion proposal to speed trains and upgrade bridges and tracks. 

An Amtrak train under speed restriction crosses the Susquehanna River in Perryville, Md. The railroad faces a $6 billion backlog in maintenance projects nationwide.

A Northbound Amtrak Acela crawls out of the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel at a mere 30 mph just South of Baltimore Penn Station on Thursday, August 9, 2012.

Problems with Amtrak's aging catenary wires plague the Northeast Corridor and have the potential to bring the corridor to a standstill during bouts of severe weather.

A view from Acela at track speed on the corridor South of Philadelphia.

Passengers walk down a platform at Union Station in Washington, D.C. after disembarking an Acela Express train on the Northeast Corridor.

Washington Union Station is the end of the line for Amtrak's Acela and corridor exclusive Northeast Regional service.

Commuters pass through Washington, D.C. Union Station during the evening rush hour on Monday, August 13, 2012. Luke Sharrett for The New York Times.

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**Photos copyright Luke Sharrett and The new York Times**