"Gov. Cuomo called on President Trump Sunday to provide emergency assistance to remedy the “intolerable” situation at Penn Station that will create “a summer of agony.”
Earlier this month, executives from Amtrak, which has operational control over “Pain Station,” said they would shut down tracks for extended periods over the next year to repair long-neglected infrastructure."
Heh.
Does lil' Andy think that Mr. Trump (or anyone) can magically wave his hand, and create new tracks at NYPenn?
I worked into and out of Penn Station on Amtrak trains from 1979 until 2012.
To repair tracks, to replace old switches and crossovers with new ones, you have to take the tracks [under repair] "out of service" for the time involved. You can't run trains over track that is missing (because it's in the process of being renovated).
Just replacing "straight track" out on the mainline is work enough.
Trying to replace switches in the crowded environs of a busy station is a BIG JOB, not easy.
Now I understand that few in this forum will have "seen NY Penn" as I have, from the cab of an engine. But the portion of the station that will be undergoing renovations (the "west end") is the most complicated. Two tracks come out of the tunnels, then expand to six (with complicated crossovers), then diverge into four "ladders" that reach towards the 21 tracks of the station.
Although it's been 5 years since I was there, I believe the area where they're having all the trouble is on the south side (downtown side) of the station leading towards the tracks that are used mostly by NJ Rail (Jersey Transit). Also known as the "M" and "U" ladders. The Albany (Empire) service also comes in on this side, but Amtrak has announced that it will be re-routed over to Grand Central (where it ran out of until 1991) during the switch replacement (so that won't be affected as much).
It's the NJ Rail commuter trains that are going to take the biggest hit, insofar as cancelling some service is involved.
But it's important to realize that until around 1995 or so -- when they built the connection that connects (the former Erie) Morris and Essex lines and permits NJ Rail trains [that would previously have had to terminate at Hoboken] to come right through the tunnels into Penn -- this traffic didn't exist for Penn. I'm guessing that a lot of it is going to be terminating back over at Hoboken "for the duration".
They've got to go someplace, and Hoboken will have to do.
BTW, the "east end" of Penn has 4 tunnels, and most of those switches were replaced back when I was still working. The east end is in better shape, but there's still only 21 tracks and there's still only "so much room".
The station has "limits to growth", beyond which the potential is there for serious delays. Get one train out of place, and it starts affecting everything else comin' down the line.
If you've read this far, you might ask, "so...what's the real solution?"
I've thought of that.
First -- more tracks, most likely on the downtown side.
BUT -- to do this, you'd have to knock down about 30 buildings at street level, at least, probably more.
Penn is not "deep underground" -- it's more like "cut and cover". When it was built, the Pennsylvania Railroad demolished over TWO HUNDRED buildings to clear out the land. It took them FOUR YEARS just to dig the hole. Think you're gonna do that in New York today?
What New York needs is a THIRD rail station. But again, where could the real estate be found on which to build it? Back in 1902 or so, it was easy enough to condemn the tenements of Hell's Kitchen for Penn. But today?
I've got an idea, however. As original and outrageous as it gets:
Build the new station under Central Park.
Some of the Park would have to be disrupted during construction, but could be restored once construction was finished.
And of course tunnels and connecting lines into and out of it.
This will cost trillions.
But it's the only way New York will be able to expand its rail service to meet future demands.
There ain't enough room in Penn any more.
And Grand Central (which I worked in, as well) is full, too.
