New Amtrak Moynihan train hall at NYP

[jiml]

Looks like I won't be able to take pictures. Someone in my household tested positive for COVID and is showing symptoms so I had to reschedule the trip for February.

Sorry to hear. All the best to them and stay safe.

 

[Asher]

Who in their right mind would open a food establishment in MTH until the pandemic is just a memory ?

Who in their right mind wants to eat there

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Who in their right mind wants to eat there

I’ve often grabbed food in train stations and airports. Guess I’m out of my right mind!

 

[Asher]

I’ve often grabbed food in train stations and airports. Guess I’m out of my right mind!

I’ve?—Sounds like past tense. So have I

 

[adamj023]

The issue is the taxpayers of NY got bilked on this project as it cost 1.6 billion dollars just to retrofit the building. You could build more complicated projects for less money.

With that being said, it allows for much better traffic flow and modernizes the facilities even more which will contine to improve over time. Amtrak, LIRR and NJ Transit riders all benefit from this project.

 

[Exvalley]

You can see inside the new hall here:
https://nypost.com/2020/12/30/gov-cuomo-offers-look-inside-new-penn-station-train-hall/

 

[joelkfla]

You can see inside the new hall here:
https://nypost.com/2020/12/30/gov-cuomo-offers-look-inside-new-penn-station-train-hall/

Just about 2 secs. of a static photo. See much, much more here: "This Is A Work Of Art": Cuomo Cuts Ribbon On Light-Filled Moynihan Train Hall

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The issue is the taxpayers of NY got bilked on this project as it cost 1.6 billion dollars just to retrofit the building. You could build more complicated projects for less money.

In NYC?

 

[keelhauled]

The development was also a public/private partnership; the split was about $1 billion public money and $600 million private from the companies who are leasing the building.

 

[glensfallsse]

With more space in the new terminal, will they now have us line up before getting on trains, as they do in Washington and (I think) Philly? Last time I was through they were queuing up only for Empire service. Not that it matters right now, but ... hopefully by late spring we'll all feel more comfortable traveling.

 

[johnmiller]

Penn Station's New Slogan: "It sucks less now."

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Penn Station's New Slogan: "It sucks less now."

I've probably ragged on NYP as much as anyone here but this is great news and a bright ray of light in a very dark era.

 

[johnmiller]

I've probably ragged on NYP as much as anyone here but this is great news and a bright ray of light in a very dark era.

It is a good thing, for sure! Hopefully, they can get funding for the rest of Penn. That would be very cool.

 

[PVD]

There is quite a bit of work being done already to make the LIRR main corridor more pleasant (widening, raising ceiling, improving street access) and NJT hopefully will have the money to expand and improve their space into some of the area Amtrak will no longer use. Lots of stores had to close or relocate on the LIRR level for that work, which was unfortunate, hopefully it will have been worth it.

 

[joelkfla]

There is quite a bit of work being done already to make the LIRR main corridor more pleasant (widening, raising ceiling, improving street access) and NJT hopefully will have the money to expand and improve their space into some of the area Amtrak will no longer use. Lots of stores had to close or relocate on the LIRR level for that work, which was unfortunate, hopefully it will have been worth it.

I can't remember whether it's Chicago or Washington that has the permanently unfinished ceiling in the passage to the platforms. I hope they finish the one in the LIRR area of NYP.

 

[railiner]

They sure do let you know who that hall is named for....

 

[WinNix]

Another article with more pictures. See Inside Moynihan Train Hall, Penn Station's Grand Addition

Plus an exterior shot from a user on reddit.

 

[adamj023]

There is quite a bit of work being done already to make the LIRR main corridor more pleasant (widening, raising ceiling, improving street access) and NJT hopefully will have the money to expand and improve their space into some of the area Amtrak will no longer use. Lots of stores had to close or relocate on the LIRR level for that work, which was unfortunate, hopefully it will have been worth it.

The station has a ton of homeless and a huge crime problem now. I hope they improve security with the new Train Hall. With the new train hall being completed, they can close off more areas of the old station to improve it. This should improve traffic flow to the platforms but the platforms themselves will actually handle slightly less people because of the escalators going down to them. One can access the station quicker going through West End concourse and going down to tracks rather than going up to the train hall and coming back down.

 

[Maglev]

This will be a great addition to New York, although I previously found the station to be confusing and my guess is that it would be more so now. I think the Fairfield Inn and Suites is now right outside a door of the train hall.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

This is such great news and I’m so glad this project is complete. I have missed traveling this year and this has me excited to visit New York City again when the world returns to normal.

It’s a small miracle that Amtrak was able to refurbish a large historic building that just happened to be right next door with accessibility to the tracks... I mean really the odds are crazy that this project was possible. So glad it’s a reality now.

 

[adamj023]

This is such great news and I’m so glad this project is complete. I have missed traveling this year and this has me excited to visit New York City again when the world returns to normal.

It’s a small miracle that Amtrak was able to refurbish a large historic building that just happened to be right next door with accessibility to the tracks... I mean really the odds are crazy that this project was possible. So glad it’s a reality now.

Odds weren’t crazy. What happened is that postal mail used to be sorted in the hall and sent by train. As postal volumes wen’t down due to internet combined with the fact that rail isn’t used for mail anymore the facility became available for “people sorting”. That is essentially what is happening as riders use trains to get to their individual tracks. Rail volumes prepandemic were at record highs out of Penn Station. More space was desperately needed to handle the volume.

Benefits are more passageways for passengers to get to the tracks for Subway, LIRR, NJT and Amtrak along with additional lounge and retail space, and bathrooms. I don’t know if passengers have additional room in the underground track space which was quite narrow before. The West End Concourse used to be a partial concourse which was remade into a full concourse with more room and now this Train Hall with new entrances adds even more room to improve traffic flow. NJ Transit was overcrowded in their side where the tracks are and they finally integrated Amtrak with NJ Transit rather than having the NJ Transit side overcrowded. This project helps on multiple levels and will improve service for everyone.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Odds weren’t crazy. What happened is that postal mail used to be sorted in the hall and sent by train. As postal volumes wen’t down due to internet combined with the fact that rail isn’t used for mail anymore the facility became available for “people sorting”. That is essentially what is happening as riders use trains to get to their individual tracks. Rail volumes prepandemic were at record highs out of Penn Station. More space was desperately needed to handle the volume.

Sorry... didn’t realize we couldn’t be excited for some rare good news. Lol.

 

[jiml]

This will be a great addition to New York, although I previously found the station to be confusing and my guess is that it would be more so now. I think the Fairfield Inn and Suites is now right outside a door of the train hall.

If you're talking about the one on W 33rd, that's my "go to" in NYC when travelling on Amtrak, especially if connecting overnight. I see what you're saying clearly on a map. Have to wonder if there will be increased traffic though and jay-walking across to it might be a problem.

 

[joelkfla]

If you're talking about the one on W 33rd, that's my "go to" in NYC when travelling on Amtrak, especially if connecting overnight. I see what you're saying clearly on a map. Have to wonder if there will be increased traffic though and jay-walking across to it might be a problem.

Jay-walking in NYC? Heaven forbid!

It would take a massive increase to notice any difference.

 

[user 14106]

Looks like I won't be able to take pictures. Someone in my household tested positive for COVID and is showing symptoms so I had to reschedule the trip for February.

Will be a bit before I can go and take pictures sadly I have COVID. Hoping for an uneventful progression of symptoms.