Elon Musk’s Boring Company Is in Talks With Government Over Amtrak Project

The Federal Railways Administration brought the country’s railway agency, The boring company, the tunnel company founded by Elon MuskTo help billions of dollars, according to three people, are aware of discussions.

Federal Railway Administration officials spoke with the boring company employees about assessing costs Frederick Douglas tunnel program, a new tunnel Along the crowded Austrat, which connects the Timor to Washington and Virginia. Amtrak initially expected the development to cost $ 6 billion, but it is now estimated that it might cost $ 8.5 billion.

As part of the talks, officials of the Ministry of Transport, which supervises the Federal Railways Department, met with employees from the boring company last month and were told that the company could find ways to build the tunnel at a cheap and efficient price, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

Nathaniel Cissemore, a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport, confirmed that the boring company was one of many companies that were consulted for the purposes of granting a new engineering contract. And refused to naming other companies.

The talks raised concerns about Mr. Musk’s conflicts in his interests as he wandered in his work, along with his role as a major adviser to President Trump. Mr. Musk or has at least six companies, including Tesla Electric Tesla and Rocket Compax. At the same time, he supervised the so -called Ministry of Governmental efficiencyThat reduced jobs and resources in federal agencies that organize his business.

In at least a few cases, conflict of interest has become public. Mr. Trump Tesla hawk cars From the White House Park in March, while federal agencies were pushed for the broader use of Spacex Starlink online internet service.

Last month, amid fears of investors that he was neglecting his work in Tesla, Mr. Musk said he would do Take the time he spent Reducing the cost in Washington.

The Ministry of Transport said in a statement that the estimated price of the tunnel has increased by $ 2.5 billion, and that Ametra has not yet found ways to reduce costs.

Mr. Sezimore said: “The administration held talks with many stakeholders in the field of infrastructure engineering to understand the opportunities to return this project to the right track.”

Amtrak did not have an immediate comment. The boring company and Mr. Musk did not respond to suspension requests.

The Frederick Douglas tunnel is scheduled to replace the 152 -year -old Botimore and Botumac, a 1.4 -mile road along the northeastern Amsrakin. It is the “largest infrastructure effort” led by Amrac a report Last year by the Amtrak Office, Inspector General, who also expressed his concerns about the costs of huge and lost deadlines. The tunnel was expected to be completed by 2035.

Last year, he chose Umrac A joint venture between two construction companies, Kiewit and JF Shea, to build the tunnel. Companies did not immediately respond to suspension requests.

Previously, Republicans, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and the current Vice President, JD Vance, was criticize Granting federal funds to the project “Preferred the Northeast states over the rest of the country”.

Mr. Musk also attacked Umrac and Other large railway projects. In March, he suggested the privatization of Federal Railways.

“If you are coming from another country, please do not use our national railways,” Mr. Musk said of Amsrac at the March conference with bankers. “It will leave you with a very bad impression of America.”

Mr. Musk and his companies had previously affected the issues in the Ministry of Transport. After a deadly collision between an army helicopter and a commercial plane in January, Minister of Transport Sean Dove bring SpaceX staff to the Air traffic control command center in the Federal Aviation Administration in Virginia to submit safety suggestions next month.

Mr. Musk was too FAA payment To cancel millions of dollars in air traffic control with Verizon for a system from Starlink.

Over the years, Mr. Musk has promoted his transportation ideas, including Tesla Electric cars and SpaceX missiles HyperloopVacaning tube to push people and goods at high speeds. The boring company, which raised more than 900 million dollars in investment capital financing, has completed a few of its proposed American plans.

In 2017, Mr. Musk Tweet He received “the approval of the verbal government” for construction Hyperloop underground New York City connecting, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, In claiming that it would take passengers from New York to the country’s capital in less than 30 minutes.

Two years later, the boring company presented plans to the Ministry of Transport to build an underground underground loop between Baltimore and Washington, and said it could be completed within two years. This was the project It was removed from the company’s boring website In 2021 it seems now dead.

The leader of the boring company, Steve DavisHe works with Mr. Musk and Trump Administration in the Ministry of Government efficiency, known as Doge. One of the most trusted lieutenants of billionaire, Mr. Davis was appointed by Mr. Musk to head the tunnels company in 2018 and was implemented to implement Mr. Musk’s vision to reduce the costs of the federal government.

Mr. Musk He was frustrated By not succeeding in the boring company during the reign of Mr. Davis, who was secretly criticized for the completion of the projects. In an interview with him recently with Fox News, Mr. Davis frame his efforts with Doge as an attempt to prevent the country from bankruptcy and said that and others “were ready to rid our lives” to help Mr. Musk.

Mr. Davis did not respond to a request for comment.

Alain delaquérière The research contributed.