If your plans involve taking a fall foliage train ride to enjoy the riotous spread of golds, reds and fiery oranges, youll be happy to hear that Amtrak is spending a lot of money on improving infrastructure on the northeast corridor: $260 million to be precise! That may mean there are temporary and minor delays on the tracks while work commences, but the payoff will be impressive, according to Amtrak's press release.

　　Whats underway? Amtrak is planning to replace more than 75,500 railroad ties (the wooden parts that support the rails) and 32 track miles of rail, improve track stability for more than 170 miles of track and renew more than 35 track switches (the devices that make it possible to move the train from one rail line to another that branches off of it). These improvements will be paid for by Amtrak grants and other federal programs, state and local contributions and Amtrak revenue (thats us buying tickets!)

　　Besides this infrastructure work in the northeast, three other regions will be seeing significant improvements. Amtrak will be replacing the 1950s-era rail infrastructure in Pennsylvania through the Harrisburg Line Track Renewal Project. Work will continue on a new Portal North Bridge over the Hacksensack River in New Jersey (replacing one that had to open and close for maritime traffic, which cost everyone time: brilliant idea to build one higher). Finally, Amtrak will start building the Frederick Douglass Tunnel to eliminate a huge bottleneck between Washington, D.C. and New Jersey, replacing the Civil War-era BP Tunnel which was literally Amtraks oldest tunnel.

　　In love with rail? Try taking a train to or within a national park, find out what it's like to ride the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer or what some call America's prettiest train ride, or open up to whimsical fun with these quirky excursions.