East River Tunnels rehabilitation 2024-2027

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daybeers

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Today, Amtrak announced the award of the East River Tunnels Rehabilitation contract to a Skanska E-J ERT Joint Venture. AKA, start the timer to see if this will delay Penn Station Access. "Modifications to some LD services" means the combination CL/SS they've been working on, but I'm interested in what the State Supported changes are.

This work will involve demolishing the existing tunnel systems down to the concrete liner, followed by reconstructing and modernizing all tunnel systems, which include:
  • Spot repair and patching of the concrete tunnel liner
  • Reconstruction of the bench walls in a modern high-low configuration
  • Conversion from ballasted track to a modern direct fixation track system with integrated drainage
  • Installation of new, state-of-the-art fire and smoke detection systems
  • Replacement and modernization of signal, traction power, standpipe and drainage systems
During the work, which is expected to last approximately three years, Amtrak plans to maintain the vast majority of service, with slight schedule changes for Northeast Regional and Acela trains, as well as modifications to some Long Distance and State Supported services. The project will also not result in a major disruption to LIRR or NJ TRANSIT service. Amtrak and the railroad partners are coordinating closely to mitigate service impacts and will provide detailed service information via numerous channels in the coming months.

Preparatory work is already underway in Sunnyside Yard, with major construction expected to begin in late 2024 and continue through 2027.
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PaTrainFan said:
Project to cause major disruption to Hudson Valley services.

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail...selaer-service-impacting-hudson-valley-riders
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Not counting the Lake Shore, ALB-NYP goes from 12 weekday trains to 10. A disruption, but maybe not that major. By the way, kind of amused that an article in "Mass Transit Magazine" (from the Albany Times-Union) confuses NJ Transit with PATH.

Strauss said the new schedule is set to begin Nov. 11. And it appears it will have a heavier impact on the Hudson Valley than train services that run to places like Long Island or New Jersey on the Long Island Railroad or NJ Path system.
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PRR 60 said:
Not counting the Lake Shore, ALB-NYP goes from 12 weekday trains to 10. A disruption, but maybe not that major. By the way, kind of amused that an article in "Mass Transit Magazine" (from the Albany Times-Union) confuses NJ Transit with PATH.
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Why is Gary Prophet crying about Amtrak lengthening Empire Service trains? He needs to go and cry at the doorsteps of NYSDOT and NY Legislature to fund such and modify their contract with Amtrak to make it happen. In short the ball is more or less in their court, not Amtrak's. NYSDOT as it is, is ridiculously understaffed to manage the Empire Service adequately. That is what needs to be fixed. They are getting exactly what they are willing to pay for at this time. Compare New York's budget for supporting intercity service with that of California and it will become obvious why they have the level of service that they have, East River Tunnel related short term changes is but a Red Herring.
 
There are things that Amtrak should have seriously considered, which is their responsibility, not DOT's:

1) Separate trains 63 and 69 once it arrives from SSY at around 645am doggy-style. Send 63 on its way at 7:15am. Send 69 straight out to the yard just west of Penn Station, then back in around 830am for its normal departure.
2) Negotiate better schedules with CP and CSX for 69 and 64 for less dwell time in Albany. They had to know for 6 months it was coming to this.
3) Top and tail the 2 cancelled Albany frequencies with P42's and run them Harmon - Albany. Thru ticket at Croton-Harmon to GCT with MN.
4) No separation of 64 and 68. I do not accept the notion they do not have East River tunnel slots at both 930pm and 1030pm, just 1030pm, when there are no LIRR trains and few if any NJT train using Line 1 & 2.
5) Run all 13 trains on Saturdays and Sundays. There are no LIRR trains using Line 1 & 2 and very few NJT trains running back and forth all day to and from Sunnsyide, and fewer Amtrak NEC trains.

The fact they made service virtually identical 7 days per week shows Amtrak service planning took an easy way out. I agree with ESPA they have put a disproportionate burden on the Empire Service because they can and they know the Hochul Administration will do nothing. Amtrak did what was easy and what they can get away with.
 
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The yard West of Penn is a LIRR yard, its usage would likely be subject to whether the MTA felt it could accommodate, and there is a question as to whether the tracks specifically able to be used for the West Side routing can be reached to or from the yard. I don' know, but not likely. Also, the Amtrak trains only have power at one end, currently they don't allow 3rd rail ops from an unpowered cab afaik.
 
PVD said:
The yard West of Penn is a LIRR yard, its usage would likely be subject to whether the MTA felt it could accommodate, and there is a question as to whether the tracks specifically able to be used for the West Side routing can be reached to or from the yard. I don' know, but not likely. Also, the Amtrak trains only have power at one end, currently they don't allow 3rd rail ops from an unpowered cab afaik.
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LIRR West Side Yard is not at all what I am referring to, but the yard south of the tunnels and west of Penn Station, (I don't know the name or designation of it) . They do in fact stash NJT trains there.
 
PVD said:
The yard West of Penn is a LIRR yard, its usage would likely be subject to whether the MTA felt it could accommodate, and there is a question as to whether the tracks specifically able to be used for the West Side routing can be reached to or from the yard. I don' know, but not likely. Also, the Amtrak trains only have power at one end, currently they don't allow 3rd rail ops from an unpowered cab afaik.
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Doesn’t Penn Station still have these yards shown in the diagram past the Diagonal platform?

https://www.google.com/search?q=pen...ppbHyQscOGM&vssid=_GLsPZ9X6M4qV5OMPoO3UmQw_40
 
Amtrak25 said:
LIRR West Side Yard is not at all what I am referring to, but the yard south of the tunnels and west of Penn Station, (I don't know the name or designation of it) . They do in fact stash NJT trains there.
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That would be the three track A Yard which would be accessible from the relevant platforms. There is also the 5 track E Yard with most tracks too short for today’s consists, that is accessible from Track 1 only with a single backup move. Access from anywhere else is complex involving at least two revrsals. NJT does store at least one set there from time to time. But that yard is of no use for consists to be used for Empire Service.
 
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Amtrak25 said:
LIRR West Side Yard is not at all what I am referring to, but the yard south of the tunnels and west of Penn Station, (I don't know the name or designation of it) . They do in fact stash NJT trains there.
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railiner also pointed that out the diagram that seems to show that some of that would reach a usable track/platform, provided the power situation were dealt with

edit thank you to "JIS" for clarifying
 
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Just learned about the Empire Service cutbacks while searching for holiday-season travel options. The plan that takes effect Nov. 11 leaves some ugly service gaps, particularly for evening departures from New York. The current 7:15p departure from NYP is advanced to 6:46p, and after that there's only one more departure -- 8:55p weekdays and 10:45p weekends (compared with current 7:15p, 8:55p, 10:45p weekdays and 7:15p, 9:15p, 11:35p weekends). For those headed from New York to Albany for the day, there will now be a three-hour gap northbound in the mornings (nothing departing NYP between 7:15a and 10:20a) and a three-hour gap returning in the late afternoon/evening (nothing departing ALB between 4:30p and 7:40p).

And the nearly 2-hour layover at Rensselaer for the northbound Adirondack -- and a 90-minute layover for riders on the eastbound Maple Leaf -- seem really poorly conceived. This is the kind of plan you might implement for an emergency situation lasting a week or two, not for a project that's supposed to go on for three years.
 
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