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Every way to fix NY Penn Station on table for Amtrak

By: Colleen Wilson
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey

..... Moving Madison Square Garden, reconstructing the train shed, tracks and platforms, and a practice called through-running - everything is on the table as Amtrak embarks on hiring a master developer and studying ways to re-imagine New York Penn Station.
..... A request for interested parties that want to become the master developer of the busiest -albeit notorious - transpiration hub in North America was issued October 30, [2025] said an announcement from the U.S. Department of Transpiration.
..... "Under President Trump, USDOT is cutting through the red tape to meet our ambitious timeline, and I'm confident we'll bring together the greatest minds to cerate an unmatched symbol of American architecture and infrastructure for visitors and daily commuters to enjoy for decades to come,: Transpiration Secretary Sean Duffy, said in a statement.
..... Amtrak and the DOT are seeking proposals form developers who want to overhaul the Midtown Manhattan train hub, which primarily serves NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road users, and is expected eventually to include Metro-North commuters.
..... Amtrak, which owns and operates the station, also uses it, but Amtrak trains now primarily operate out of Moynihan Train Hall next door.
..... A master developer is expected to be chosen in May 2026, then preliminary design will begin, and construction is estimated to start before the end of 2027 - an ambitious timeline to be overseen by Andy Byford, who was handpicked by President Donald Trump in May 2025 to be a special adviser on Penn Station redevelopment.
..... Byford's involvement came after the Trump administration yanked Penn Station restoration project form the Metropolitan Transpiration Authority, which had led the recent efforts with the hiring of a design team in 2023.
..... In addition to the master developer, several key reviews and milestones are underway.
..... Amtrak and the DOT selected a public-private partnership of three private firms, through a competitive bid process, to provide the agencies with legal, financial and environmental consultation. They are Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, KPMG and AKRF, respectively. A fourth consultant to provide project management services will be chosen before the end of the year. [2025]
..... A two-part "project service optimization study" is begin overseen by the federal Railroad Administration and its consultants. It is an independent review of ways to "accommodate passengers growth at New York Penn Station and the surrounding region," the Transpiration Department said.
..... The first six months will be spent focusing on changes to the station's train shed, specifically the track and platforms, and other ways to improve train movements. The second phase will be a more than 18-month study focused on through-running.
..... Through-running is the concept that train movements could be more efficient if they don't terminate at the station and instead continue operating past it, which could also expand service,. Some trains "through-run" at New York Penn Station already, but some do not.
..... Many have said this idea should be pursued instead of plans to increase the number of tracks by expanding Penn Station south, which could require demolishing an entire city block of homes and historic buildings, including a church.
..... Some have advocated for a mix of through-running investment and additional Penn Station tracks. While this is being studied, plans to expand Penn Station south are paused.
..... Amid the bankruptcy of the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1960s, the original cathedral-like New York Penn Station was demolished to make way for Madison Square Garden, which left behind a confusing and decrepit basement-like train station that was operating beyond its capacity by 1990.
..... Today, more than 1,000 train movement take place any given day on Penn station's 21 tracks and subway stops, which serve more daily customers than JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports combined.

Penn Station renovation, growth long stymied

..... Besides construction of Moynian Train Hall, which opened in 2021, attempts to renovate and expand the capacity of New York Penn Station have largely fizzled over the years because of cost, complexity and difficult economic conditions.
..... The most recent proposal to falter was first offered by then-Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2020 and was criticized - and sued over - for appearing to emphasize real estate interests over train station improvements. The primary owner of property around Penn Station, Vornado Trust Realty, paused plans to redevelop Penn Station and its surrounding in 2023.
..... Byford hopes this new round of project proposals will tap into the innovative thinking of the private sector to deliver wide-ranging improve nets to the look, fell and operation of the existing station while also coming up with creative ways to finance the renovation project, which could cost several billion dollars.
..... Other transit improvement projects, like the Hudson Yards 7 train expansion, have used housing and commercial development to offset the cost of transit construction.
..... "This will be one of the biggest and most significant construction projects in U.S. history, and we want the most skilled and knowledgeable partners to help make it a success," Byford said in a statement. "By working with the private sector, we will be working with advisers who focus on the project's goal while minimizing cost for taxpayers."

Project proceeds despite gateway uncertainly

..... This announcement comes as Trump paused funding in other high-profile infrastructure projects in the New York area as retaliation against Democratic leaders fighting with Republicans about the federal budget and the subsequent government shutdown.
..... Among the projects with paused federal funding is the $16 billion Gateway program, the largest federally funded project in history, which would build a new two-track train tunnel under the Hudson River into New York Penn Station and repair the existing rail tunnel, which is over a century old ans was badly damaged by Superstrom Sandy.
..... Trump has made vague threats to "terminate" funding for the Gateway tunnel project, through there have been conflicting reports about whether he will follow through on that.
..... Despite that, this work at Amtrak and the DOT continues under the assumption that Gateway will proceed, but the primary focus is how to enhance the enhance Penn Station and what, if any, role through-running will play when it comes to expanding capacity.
..... A number of other projects would be needed to create more one-seat rides and capacity for NJ Transit and Amtrak, including constriction of a new Portal Bridge South, Hunter Flyover for the Irritant Valley Line, the Bergen Loop for Main/Bergen and Pascack Valley lines, and a fourth track near Harrison station.

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