A press release from Amtrak; November 13, 2017
NEW YORK – Amtrak is announcing a series of track renewal projects in New York Penn Station as part of the Infrastructure Renewal program. While the bulk of the renewal work for 2018 will occur on weekends, there will be a series of continuous single-track closures within the Station from January 5, 2018 through May 28, 2018, which will require minor modifications to Amtrak and commuter train weekday operations at New York Penn Station. Amtrak is working with NJ TRANSIT and Long Island Rail Road on an overall service plan that minimizes the impact to all New York Penn Station customers to the greatest extent possible.
“After a successful summer, it is essential that we continue to upgrade the infrastructure so that we can continue to improve the reliability of service for all the customers that use New York Penn Station,” said Amtrak co-CEO Wick Moorman.
The following schedule changes will take place during the infrastructure renewal work:
- Amtrak is cancelling Northeast Regional Trains 110 from Washington, D.C. (WAS) to New York Penn Station (NYP) and 127 from NYP to WAS
- Northbound Keystone Train 640 will terminate at Newark Penn Station
- Southbound Keystone Train 643 will originate at Newark Penn Station
- Southbound Train 173 will stop at Newark Airport
- Southbound Trains 129, 193 and 653 will all have earlier departure times.
- Train 170 will also depart WAS early, stop at North Philadelphia and Cornwells Heights and resume its schedule from Trenton
- Long Island Rail Road and NJ TRANSIT are also expected to announce service schedule adjustments
The projects will occur in the area of Track 15, which requires a section of concrete demolition and replacement (similar to the work on Track 10 during the summer of 2017), and Track 18, which requires localized concrete demolition with complex steel hardware replacement and rail renewal within Penn Station New York. In addition to this work, Amtrak will renew and replace three turnouts in “C” Interlocking, which is at the east end of the station and directs Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road trains to routes heading east and to Sunnyside Yard.
While Amtrak has maintained and repaired this aging infrastructure, some of which dates to the 1970s, full replacement is now required. During the summer of 2017, Amtrak kicked off its Infrastructure Renewal at New York Penn Station, which is one element of Amtrak’s plan to modernize stations, infrastructure, and equipment on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak’s Penn Station concourse operations improvement study has begun and improvement projects for the restrooms, waiting areas, and ClubAcela Lounge in Amtrak’s concourses are underway.
Amtrak’s reservation systems are currently being updated to reflect these schedule changes and any passenger already booked on a train that has been cancelled or altered will be contacted and accommodated on other scheduled services. Additional information and updates will be posted on Amtrak.com and Amtrak.com/NYPrenewal
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