NEW YORK — After two reprieves, Amtrak service changes on its Empire Service route north of New York City are set to begin on Monday, April 28.
The schedule revision will see suspension of one round trip: train No. 238, an 11:40 a.m. departure from Albany, and No. 235, a 3:15 p.m. train from Penn Station. Other changes include an additional railcar on 28 trains per week; combining of the Adirondack and Maple Leaf between New York City and Albany; and schedule adjustments of up to 30 minutes.
The schedule changes, to accommodate repairs to the East River Tunnel damaged by Hurricane Sandy, have been pushed back twice. Originally, Empire Service trains were reduced from 10 to eight in November, 2024; that change was reversed the following month. [See “Amtrak restores most Empire Service …,” Nov. 22, 2024]. The schedule introduced Dec. 2, 2024, was to last through March 2, but was subsequently extended to today (April 27, 2025). [See “Amtrak extends …,” News Wire, Feb. 21, 2025].
“Amtrak is committed to providing the best possible service to our Empire Service customers while we begin our critical work on the East River Tunnel used in this service,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said when the schedule extension was announced in February. “These significant upgrades will modernize critical infrastructure and ensure long-term improvements to the Empire Service and other Amtrak and commuter services for a better customer experience and more reliable trip.”
The duration of these changes, and others related to the tunnel project, such as the creation of the Floridian, is unknown [see “Amtrak combines Capitol Limited, Silver Star …,” News Wire, Sept. 23, 2024]. Amtrak expects the tunnel project to continue through 2027.
