News & Reviews News Wire Legislators’ letter calls for Amtrak to delay changes related to East River Tunnel work

Legislators’ letter calls for Amtrak to delay changes related to East River Tunnel work

By Trains Staff | November 3, 2024

Seven members of House of Representatives seek 60-day delay to changes set to begin Nov. 10

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Train at large station with covered walkways
Empire Service train No. 283 arrives at Albany-Rensselaer, N.Y., on Oct. 2, 2024. Empire Service is slated to be reduced from 10 to eight round trips per day as of Nov. 10.  Bob Johnston

ALBANY, N.Y. — Seven Republican members of the New York state delegation to the House of Representatives have asked Amtrak President Roger Harris to delay plans to reduce service in the state as a result of planned East River Tunnel work.

The changes, taking effect Nov. 10, will see the Maple Leaf and Adirondack combined between New York Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer [see “Adirondack operating indifference continues: Analysis,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 10, 2024], as well as the reduction of Empire Service by two round trips per day. Amtrak issued a press release on those change on Friday, Nov. 1.

The letter, from U.S. Reps. Elise Stafanik, Nicole Malliotakis, Nick Langworthy, Andrew Garbarino, Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota, and Marc Molinaro, is also dated Nov. 1, and among other points, objects that Amtrak had not yet announced the changes, saying “Amtrak’s lack of transparency surrounding this is unconscionable.”

But its primary purpose is to call for a 60-day delay to the changes “to avoid the mass disruption of this essential service during the busy holiday season. … proper time should be taken to thoroughly evaluate and vet all options in a transparent manner to mitigate the detrimental effects on passengers, including changing schedules to reduce the wait times at the Albany-Rensselaer station or considering lengthening the remaining trains to help mitigate the cuts to service.”

The full letter is available here.

3 thoughts on “Legislators’ letter calls for Amtrak to delay changes related to East River Tunnel work

  1. Why can’t they service thr train in Penn Station and not have to go through the tunnel at all for the two cancelled round trips.

    1. Not possible as the Park Avenue viaduct replacement has one track OOS for foreseeable future. So, it is 2 tracks in and one track out or the opposite in afternoon of 2 outbound and one inbound. The one available track would not fit with Amtrak’s schedules.

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