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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 3 May 2017
Amtrak says 6 weeks of disruptions for Penn Station repairs
DAVID PORTER primarily on weekends, ac-
Associated Press cording to the proposal.
NEW YORK (AP) — Rail trav- The funding boost would
elers who have endured help support the Gateway
delays and cancellations project to build a new rail
prompted by equipment tunnel under the Hudson
failures would face about River between New York
six weeks of significant ser- and New Jersey and would
vice disruptions this sum- push money for Northeast
mer to accommodate re- Corridor improvements
pairs at Penn Station, the and repair work over $700
nation’s busiest rail station, million when combined
under a plan proposed by with Amtrak’s profits from
Amtrak. that service.
Meanwhile, Democrat- Before legislation passed
ic U.S. Sen. Charles Schum- in late 2015, Amtrak had
er’s office said Tuesday to use its Northeast Cor-
an agreement has been ridor profits to support its
reached in Congress to long-distance service in
boost funding for Am- other parts of the country.
trak to $1.495 billion for Schumer called the fund-
the coming fiscal year, a ing “a huge win for com-
$105 million increase over An Amtrak track worker cuts out a railroad tie for replacement at New York’s Penn Station. Rail muters in the region.”
last year and the highest travelers who have endured delays and cancellations prompted by equipment failures would “I’ve already spoken to
total since 2010. A $328 face about six weeks of significant service disruptions this summer to accommodate repairs at Amtrak and made it clear,
million grant would go to- Penn Station, the nation’s busiest rail station, under a plan proposed by Amtrak. these extra dollars should
(Amtrak via AP) be used to quickly make
ward the Northeast Cor- the necessary repairs to
ridor between Boston and tracks in and out of Penn
Washington, D.C., which Station and advance the
includes Penn Station. critically important Gate-
Commuters would face way project,” he said.
delays this summer due to An Amtrak spokeswoman
track work around Penn said meetings were held
Station, according to a Monday with representa-
document obtained by tives of the LIRR and NJ
The Associated Press on Transit and the parties
Tuesday. The document would reconvene Thursday
describes work scheduled to review the plan.
between July 7 and July 25 “All groups are working
and again between Aug. with the common goal of
4 and Aug. 28 as caus- creating service schedules
ing “significant service im- that minimize impact on
pacts” and requiring ser- the traveling public when
vice adjustments. we do the necessary up-
Those service changes grades to Penn Station,”
weren’t specified, and spokeswoman Christina
the plan is not final. Last Leeds said in an email.
week Amtrak CEO Wick A spokeswoman for the
Moorman said negotia- Metropolitan Transporta-
tions would continue this tion Authority, which oper-
week with the Long Island ates the LIRR, said it was
Rail Road and New Jersey in discussions with Amtrak
Transit, commuter railroads and would ensure riders’
that transport hundreds best interests are repre-
of thousands of people in sented. NJ Transit Executive
and out of Penn Station Director Steve Santoro said
each weekday. his planning team was try-
Other work would con- ing to determine the scope
tinue through next spring of the work and its impact
and would be performed on service and customers.
