Federal railroad regulators are currently in discussions with Elon Musk’s tunneling venture, The Boring Company (TBC), regarding a potential multi-billion-dollar contract for an Amtrak infrastructure project, according to recent reports. The proposed initiative, known as the Frederick Douglass Tunnel program, aims to improve rail service connectivity between Baltimore, Washington, and Virginia.
Initially budgeted at approximately $6 billion, recent estimates have seen project costs escalate to as much as $8.5 billion. Given these rising costs, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has initiated exploratory talks with The Boring Company to assess whether the tunneling firm could provide substantial cost savings compared to previous engineering plans.
While TBC is reportedly among several engineering firms under consideration, its potential involvement has prompted concerns regarding conflicts of interest stemming from Musk’s varied business holdings and roles. These include his responsibilities as a senior advisor to former President Trump and his leadership of DOGE, an initiative that has recently imposed significant funding reductions on federal regulatory agencies overseeing several of Musk’s other ventures.
