SCHUMER, RYAN DEMAND ANSWERS ON TRUMP ADMIN STALLING $28 MILLION FOR LONG-SOUGHT RHINECLIFF TRAIN STATION UPGRADES & REPAIRS – AND CALL FOR IMMEDIATE END TO UNWARRANTED FEDERAL[...]

Local Leaders Had The Rug Pulled Out From Under Them When Trump Admin Abruptly Derailed The $28M Grant For The Rhinecliff Station Project - With No Explanation - Potentially Setting Back Years of Progress To Finally Give Dutchess County The Modern Train Station It Deserves

Rhinecliff Station Is One Of NY's Busiest, But Has Fallen Into Disrepair - Schumer Fought For Years To Prioritize & Secure Funding And Now Project Is In Final Phases - But Trump Admin Unwarranted Delays Risk All Of That Progress

Schumer, Ryan To FRA: End The Delays So Rhinecliff Station Project Can Get Back On Track

After the Trump administration abruptly derailed $28 million in much-needed federal funding for the Rhinecliff Train Station -- with no timeline or explanation, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Congressman Pat Ryan today demanded answers and an end to federal delays from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) so the suddenly stalled project can get back on track.

The representatives said this project, for one of New York's busiest train stations, will finally give Hudson Valley commuters the modern, accessible station they have desperately needed. Schumer and Ryan explained that, with construction set to begin soon, this last-minute unexplained bureaucratic delay from the Trump administration could undermine years of progress, and that they must release this federal funding so that the sorely needed upgrades and repairs can move forward.

"This is bureaucratic failure at its worst: eleventh-hour unexplained delays from the Trump administration risk years of progress to repair the Rhinecliff train station - right as this sorely needed upgrade was set to begin construction. It is unacceptable to pause a grant with no explanation and leave community leaders and commuters completely in the dark on the future of the project," said Senator Schumer. "The Trump administration needs to stop derailing this vital project and get out of the way so it can get back on track. Congressman Ryan and I are demanding immediate answers from the FRA and an end to these senseless federal delays. We will keep fighting to make sure the Hudson Valley gets all the federal resources it was promised to make Rhinecliff Train Station the modern transportation hub commuters deserve."

"Pausing this critical project, without warning or explanation, is a slap in the face to our Hudson Valley community. The fact that DOT has provided no information or timeline is unacceptable, and risks years of further bureaucratic delays while our community is left in the dark," said Congressman Pat Ryan. "The Rhinecliff Station project is the product of years of community advocacy and bipartisan partnership at the local, state, and federal level. Senator Schumer and I are urgently demanding answers, and won't stop fighting until we ensure that Rhinecliff Station gets the resources it needs to serve our community."

Rhinebeck Town Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia said, "We've been working on this locally since 2015. I was at the station with Senator Schumer in 2020 when he delivered federal aid for ADA compliance. As the fourth busiest station in New York State, many people rely on the Rhinecliff, and it's literally crumbling due to neglect. Many people from Amtrak, New York State, and federal officials have dedicated years to developing a cohesive plan for the restoration and repairs to the station, tracks, and platform. To have President Trump abruptly stall the project with no explanation is a mindboggling, callous betrayal."

Last week, the Trump administration told local officials that it was putting Rhinecliff Train Station's more $28 million federal grant under review without an explanation and cancelled meetings on the project. Local leaders now feel left in the dark and worried the review will risk years of progress project right as they enter the final phases, Schumer and Ryan called on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator David Armstrong Fink to immediately provide the public and local leaders an explanation of what this review means, to stop federal delays, and release this much-needed funding for the Hudson Valley.

Schumer and Ryan's letter to FRA Administrator David Armstrong Fink can be found HERE.

Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, "We were disappointed to learn of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) pause of the Rhinecliff Station project. This important project would fix long standing ADA issues, improve the passenger experience at the station, and improve operations with track and signal operations. We encourage the USDOT and FRA to complete their review as quickly as possible so this project can move forward."

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "The Rhinecliff Train Station is a vital transportation link, connecting thousands of people from the Hudson Valley to New York City and everywhere in between. It's also a critical economic engine, driving millions of dollars in economic benefits for the region. The planned improvements to this historic station have been years in the making, and we urge Washington to honor its commitment by releasing the funding designated for these desperately needed renovations. The station cannot continue in its current state, reduced to temporary structures awaiting construction, and that construction must commence. Congress specifically approved these funds for Rhinecliff Station because it is a local treasure, and we ask that they be restored immediately so this urgent work can advance without further delays."

Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha: "It speaks to the utter failure of this federal administration that as it wastes billions of taxpayer dollars to bring us to the brink of an energy crisis and global destabilization, it has also paused work on a train station that undermines our constituents ability to use mass transit. The United States has the highest GDP in the world, and yet we can't get these basic infrastructure needs taken care of, let alone build a reliable, affordable, and high-speed rail system, which is what we should already be prioritizing. The very basic function of a government is to provide the infrastructure the public needs, and our constituents deserve an answer and a plan to move forward now."

The lawmakers explained that the Rhinecliff Station is one of the busiest in New York, but for over 15 years, it has been in utter disrepair with desperately needed accessibility upgrades. The station is 90 miles from New York City and serves 26 Amtrak trains daily. In 2019, the station serviced over 200,000 passengers according to Amtrak. The existing low-level platform requires passengers to use a step stool to transition from the platform, which has created severe accessibility issues and caused many operational delays, which is on top of many other routine maintenance issues that have gotten worse over the years due to a lack of funding.

In early 2020, Schumer began fighting to secure the federal dollars needed for Amtrak and New York State to finally undertake federally mandated ADA-compliant infrastructure upgrades and modernizations the station required. Schumer personally visited the Rhinecliff Station in 2020 to push for this funding to finance the construction to replace the existing 520-foot-long low-level platform at the Rhinecliff Station with a new, longer high-level platform. In addition, it will also help complete related track and signal work, including a new interlocking south of the station, and will build new access to the platform, including stairs, elevators, and a pedestrian bridge.

Schumer and Ryan's letter to FRA Administrator David Armstrong Fink can be found HERE or below:

Dear Administrator Fink,

We are writing to express our serious concerns regarding the recent decision by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to undertake a review of the Rhinecliff Station High Level Platform, Vertical Circulation and Interlocking Project, and to request immediate transparency regarding the status and scope of the agency's review of this grant award. For years, local leaders, New York state, Amtrak, and USDOT have worked together to plan for the long-needed upgrades to the Rhinecliff Station, but abruptly cancelling those meetings and announcing this review with no explanation has rightly created major concern in the community and they deserve immediate answers. This decision is deeply concerning, not only for the residents and commuters who depend on this critical transportation hub but also for the broader goals of regional economic connectivity and accessibility that would be directly impacted if years of progress were derailed by delay.

The Rhinecliff Station project has long been recognized as a vital component of the Hudson Valley's transportation infrastructure. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) was awarded $28 million through the FRA's Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program to fund replacement of the existing low-level platform with a longer high-level platform. The funding would also be used for track and signal upgrades, along with new accessibility features such as stairs, elevators, and a pedestrian bridge. These improvements will support expanded service on the Empire Corridor, increasing daily round trips between New York City and Albany.

The FRA's review of the $28 million award at this juncture of the project risks undermining years of planning and investment. The Rhinecliff Station project was awarded through a competitive, merit-based process focused on rehabilitating our nation's aging rail infrastructure and improving passenger service. Further delay will jeopardize the much-needed repairs for this historic station that Hudson Valley commuters and visitors rely on.

Accordingly, We request that the FRA provide immediate responses to the following:

1. Who initiated this review and why is this review being conducted now
2. The specific process and procedures being used to review the grant award
3. A clear and definitive timeline for completion of this review
4. The criteria, standards, or concerns being applied in evaluating the project
5. If this kind of review is being done for similar projects and if so please specify where those projects are located

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Given the serious community concerns, we request responses in writing no later than April 23, 2026 and look forward to your prompt action to keep this essential project on track.

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