Amtrak workers excited by funding

BEECH GROVE, Ind. (WISH) - More than a billion dollars will be used to expand rail capacity across the country. Vice President Biden made the announcement Friday.

Aging Amtrak facilities nationwide, including the one in Beech Grove are about to get a 100 million dollar facelift.

"The morale out here was at an all time low a year ago and its probably at one of the highest points its been since Amtrak's existence in Beech Grove," Jack Ragland with the Transport Workers Union said.

The Beech Grove facility is over 100 years old. It was originally built to repair locomotives. Rail cars were added to the workload later.

It once employed 1,500 workers. Since the late 1990's the number has dropped.

"We're still under 500; this is probably the lowest total we had in the last 30 years that I've been here," Ragland said.

Beech Grove's facility is the largest that Amtrak owns. Even though the announcement just came on Friday, they're already got plans for that money. Part of it would be building washers for the cars, sandblasters and even an air filtration system to keep the employees healthy.

The proposal also calls for Amtrak to hire 100 employees.

Gary Henry wants to be one them. He has been looking for work since last July.

"I've got my fingers, crossed, my legs crossed. I'm ready to go," Henry said.

In fact, Henry applied to work at the beech grove facility on Thursday, before the Amtrak funding announcement. He is hopeful to be an amtrak employee soon...

Meanwhile, those who already work there, say the stimulus money means one thing. "It shows that Beech Grove is a viable part of Amtrak and we are needed," Ragland said.

Much of the work in Beech Grove will be focused on repairing damaged passenger cars.