Passenger Trains > NY Penn repairs this summer

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/27/nyregion/amtrak-penn-station-repairs.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Not unlike skipping a few years with the dentist. Eventually you'll need to go, and in a hurry.

Here is Amtrak's press release
http://media.amtrak.com/2017/04/amtrak-president-ceo-wick-moorman-announces-new-york-penn-station-improvement-initiatives/
Question - Mr. Moorman references work done in A interlocking in the 1970's. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the plant at A as it was during the PRR days with no modifications having been made by PC or Amtrak?
Andy

Wick is the man for the job.....

He's an NS guy dealing with John Snow/CSX-style track issues, and he will go right after it.

According to an article in Progressive Railroading, Amtrak CEO Wick
Moorman has ordered an expedited process to renew deteriorated track
in Penn Station that dates from the 1970s.

The process "will require track closures and schedule adjustments,"
he said.

"While a substantial amount of reconstruction has already been done
at New York Penn Station, the remaining renewal work has been
scheduled to take place over the next several years in order to
minimize impacts on scheduled services. We can't wait that long. This
work needs to be done now."

In an effort to improve inter-agency operations at Penn Station,
Amtrak is going outside its own management to review interactions
between Amtrak and the other users of the station, New Jersey Transit
and Long Island Rail Road. "Moorman announced that Amtrak has
commissioned former Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO and
Chairman Tom Prendergast to independently review the interaction,
coordination and collaboration between the railroads' various
passenger concourses within Penn Station," wrote the magazine's
editors.

Moorman's move happens as outside agencies are suggesting that Penn
Station be transferred to governance directly involving the majority
users of the station, instead of by Amtrak with NJT and LIRR as
tenants.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/17 09:10 by GenePoon.

twropr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is Amtrak's press release
> http://media.amtrak.com/2017/04/amtrak-president-c
> eo-wick-moorman-announces-new-york-penn-station-im
> provement-initiatives/
> Question - Mr. Moorman references work done in A
> interlocking in the 1970's. Correct me if I am
> wrong, but isn't the plant at A as it was during
> the PRR days with no modifications having been
> made by PC or Amtrak?
> Andy

Additional crossovers have been added at A interlocking giving access from LIRR Yard to low number tracks, and a couple of other crossovers as I recall.

If the Port Authority wasn't so hopelessly conflicted and in transition, they would be ideal for the oversight role.

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If the Port Authority wasn't so hopelessly
> conflicted and in transition, they would be ideal
> for the oversight role.

Unfortunately the PA is fundamentally anti-rail. They are a road and parking lot organization when it comes to ground transport. Giving them responsibility for anything rail would be sealing the fate of the same, sort of like the deterioration in service that they have managed over the years on PATH.

Give the PA credit, they are great at closing bridges on demand!

Jishnu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the Port Authority wasn't so hopelessly
> > conflicted and in transition, they would be
> ideal
> > for the oversight role.
>
> Unfortunately the PA is fundamentally anti-rail.
> They are a road and parking lot organization when
> it comes to ground transport. Giving them
> responsibility for anything rail would be sealing
> the fate of the same, sort of like the
> deterioration in service that they have managed
> over the years on PATH.

Posted from iPhone

NJTVNEWS interview with Martin Robins, former NJ Transit deputy executive director......

http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/amtrak-nj-transit-warn-ongoing-delays-surprised/

Some train service is bound to get bumped out of Penn Station during this time period. Will Newark or Secaucus be potential transfer points? Will Raritan Valley trains be pushed out? Or will Amtrak potentially take the hit with its Keystone trains? Personally I think it should be some of the M&E trains that get diverted to Hoboken temporarily - but allow transfer at Newark Broad Street. It's similar to Newark Penn where some people have to transfer to continue on to NY (e.g. North Jersey Coast Line for those diverted to Hoboken).

I suspect the midtown direct and Montclair Direct could get hit hard.

I've mentioned from time to time that re-laying track to Jersey City CNJ terminal would give NJT several new options. Service to lower Manhattan via ferry.

They're only missing about a mile and a half and the space is now parking lots for the ferry.

Posted from Android

Amtrak is the landlord, calls the shots, has contract with Penn DOT.

RVL only has a presence mid-day and late evening weekdays, but given their light loads east of Newark, are expendable.

I suspect some MDT from the M&E and the Montclair/Boonton are targets.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/17 05:45 by joemvcnj.

Amtrak should offer to give up some of their slots, to be fair. Maybe there hope for Empire Service trains to be diverted to Grand Central for the summer?

joemvcnj Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak is the landlord, calls the shots, has
> contract with Penn DOT.

Curious what the contract with Penn DOT has to do with Penn Station? Does Penn DOT pay for Keystone trains to be extended from Philadelphia to New York?

I believe so.

njfrn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Amtrak should offer to give up some of their
> slots, to be fair.

When has fairness entered into this? Thousands of NJ commuters are inconvenienced for hundreds of Amtrak passengers every day. I've told my experiences as a Jersey Avenue commuter often enough.


> Maybe there hope for Empire
> Service trains to be diverted to Grand Central for
> the summer?

That's possible, but I wouldn't bet on it.

*-I must say the newspaper story was very well written. I wonder if they will be replacing each track one line at a time or will they go whole hog and rip everything out under the station and replace it all with 165 pound rail track panels using concrete ties?

I was not able to see the ground under the rails in the photo from the NY Times,is that the granite rock floor under the tracks.

When Amtrak began constructing the box tunnel through Hudson Yards for the new North River tunnel, I understand that rock strata was granite.

(The Hudson Yards developer gave Amtrak a "once and final" offer to create a short box tunnel underneath new buildings in that huge project. The box would connect at the west end with the new tube(s), and at the east end with new track into NY Penn and perhaps a southern extension of the station. If Amtrak didn't accept and begin work, the developer would plant its footings in that space.)