Penn Station Emergency Repairs: Trackwork, etc.

Railjunkie wrote:This is correct 69/63 combo till the track work ends in Sept. They come down at night as normal sets.

I find it a "treat" to see that combined 63/69 going through the Harmon area in the morning --- 2 locomotives and 11 cars. Unusual to see a consist like that anywhere north of New York. As close as you will get to the glory days of the NYC, I guess

Will Penn Station get better after first phase of the work is done either today or tomorrow?

Two new switches. scissors, frogs, ties, install and test power and signal system were the first phase of the project.

It'll be fine until all of the trains return in September!

The next progress report: https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/125/980/In ... 072817.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looking at the labeled track map, it looks like only the middle of A interlocking is being worked on this summer - not the westernmost crossover, not all the switches where the ladders diverge from the core tracks 10-13. Am I correct in saying that those are the next (or ongoing) weekend projects?

I was thinking the same thing - they're focused on the middle of the interlocking. But if you note, there are 5 more switches listed as being 'in progress' on page 2 - a bunch of scissors. I don't know the ID #s, but those could be some of the scissors leading to the platform tracks. And of course, there's going to be weekend work, and then another big shutdown next year (not as big as this, but Amtrak did announce another round of work next year).

I'm also curious about why track 10 is being completely replaced, but no others are. I wonder if the block ties were found to be completely deteriorated or sub-par.

So they are running out of summertime and will cross their fingers and hope the unrepaired sections don't fail on Thanksgiving week?

If you look at the photos, you realize how bad the track panels and foundation were from the removed sections. Wood ties were split, rails were heavily worn and the foundation underneath was a mess hence why you had derailments and speed restrictions thereafter. Thankfully the bad worn out sections are now replaced. The rails and ties where the other trains are actively using in Penn Station now seem to be in much better shape apparently but how much better I do not know.

Interlocking A and then followed by JO will be the first two interlockings to get work done. KN and C to follow.

Penn Station should be a lot better by 2018.

The increased frequency of trains in the past 20 years in and out of NYP, let alone heavier equipment rolling over these rails (or at least more weight passing over due to increased frequency, let alone compounded by multilevel cars of both LIRR and NJT), made this into an extremely fragile piece of infrastructure. EVERY Amtrak President since the 1990s (except perhaps Warrington) warned that it was just a matter of time before the house of cards fell. The Hudson River tunnels are hanging on by a thread yet ground on new tunnels is still likely YEARS away.

A new tunnel isn't that badly needed bt it would be nice to have. Repair work could go on during weekends to repair any tunnel damage including tunnel walls, track, signal, switches, and electrical and the like.

A new tunnel is nice to have to increase capacity however and speeds perhaps and for redundency reasons.

Not really. A new tunnel is needed so that they *can* repair the old ones w/o cutting into the 26 trains/hour max throughput. I don't know what the rate is now... but it's definitely above 6/hr.

They've been doing weekend work to keep the tunnels operable - but a proper overhaul requires a complete shutdown of a tube. Much like the work the MTA has been doing on the subway tunnels affected by Sandy.

Last published 19 - 24 months for complete shutdown of each tube for proper rehabilitation of each tube. So even when new tubes are finished and in service ~ 4 additional years to rehab both tubes. Based on that timetable would expect at least 2 years after new tubes are in service before any additional rush hour service can come into NYPS from New Jersey.

My understanding is that no meaningful additional service is possible. While the tunnels are the most restricting constraint, platform space is immediately next. There is not really any platform space to be had during rush hour. With 4 tubes they might be able to squeeze an extra couple of deadheads out of NYP, so as to free the platforms a bit faster, but nothing that will make noticeable difference in terms of extra service. And even before then there are already reports that Positive Train Control is likely to reduce the number of rush hour trains from current values (for two tubes).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documen ... compliance" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Petition to the FRA to relax some of the rules for MOW workers clearing the ROW for Penn Station work.

Some photos of Track 10 from this past Saturday night. New track is going in already, as sections of poured concrete cure: