Amtrak/LIRR Moynihan Train Hall

From what I've read about the station (between the Amtrak and NJT forums here, and some of the news bits I've found), it seems like an incredible waste. Sure, there might be something that, architecturally speaking, is worth looking at, but the fact is that Penn as it is now is a perfectly good station. Moving people further away from all the subway connections (and the other connections, too ... it would be a longer haul from LIRR/NJT to Amtrak's area for a trip out) isn't going to make the commuters, which are the majority of traffic in and out of Penn, happier. Like CTG said, people want a convienient station before a pretty one, and given that people already have difficulty getting from the subways to the tracks at Penn, moving the entrances further away is certainly not going to brighten anyone's day.
If the majority of people coming and going through Penn were visitors and people who should get a good impression, then maybe, maybe, this would make sense. However, this isn't the case, and I think the existing Penn Station, far from being a "moldy basement," is as good as things are going to get, since going to the Farley building isn't going to add any more platforms or tunnel slots.

so its a state funded shopping center, disguised as a transit center, so we taxpayers will build a shopping center for greedy developers... yadda yadda... sounds like another bloomberg 'limpics fiasco.

that's basically what all of Long Island is becoming anyway, a BIG friggen shopping area!

I tried to avoid this but i cant.

I just love the way they stated in that artical posted in toms post, that that post office was built by penns buillders and is the closest thing to penn we have, and how that picture shows a all glass ceiling ummm???? get out the pics of mc kims NYP dont the glass ceiling look familia on the concours?


over all I like the idea but they need to try to make it replicate as much as penn as possible and KEEP the name you dont see GCT being re named into jacky kennedy onasis terminal, do you?

isnet MSG getting "out dated" if they want to build a new colicum in nassau and claim its out dated wouldent MSG fit that also? why not build a bigger and better garden over the west side yard, and the upper floors are skyscapers and office no assoiated with garden events, rentable space? then NYP can be re built with some modern twists, but go as conservitive as possible. meaning not get out of hand with monderism.

this is a very contrivercial subject the growns of NYP sould have a national historic sight or somthing reconizing the building that once stood in that place what wrong fully came down and is now being the foot stones for the post office transition to a terminal.

GCT will always have us beat because of the anit railroad days of the late 50s and 60s that lead into the neglect of such wonderfull peices of american life and history. save our past so our future can see what we once had.

now i notice that they are putting old vitage style street lamps on sunrise hwy in lynbrook, i guess this old satyle is comeing back, maby the vintage look is better. ummm. lets move this idea to rebuilding NYP. move the garden to the WSY then put people movers under the street to get into the garden, any thing is possible,

in the end you msg lovers will hate hereing this. but your beloved garden WILL be obsolite and then what will happen to ist still historic ground maby a new more real NYP? maby more years of bull???

but who knows.

sorry if i confused any one but i needed some imput.

ya sure confused me.

I have stated on the Amtrak forum and elsewhere that this project is a
gross waste of money and I can state it here too. It certainally will not
benefit any LIRR passengers, it is far from existing track and facilities and
would require a much longer walk from the main bussiness sources and
existing subway lines.
If New York State has money to throw around, it would be much better
spent fixing up tracks and upgrading signals upstate and fixing up tracks
and improving track capacity for the LIRR.
Disgusting.
Noel Weaver

I have to say, that while converting the building to a "new" Penn station would be aesthetically wonderful, it really is unecessary and a waste of tax dollars.

Had the present below-ground concourses, stores, ticket windows, waiting rooms, toilet facilities NOT been renovated to look the way they presently do, I would be all for it!

But, having walked through the station area last October, I was very impressed by what was accomplished at both levels, and at both the LIRR and Amtrak/NJT ends of the terminal!!!

I worked the old LIRR ticket windows. I also worked the old "fishbowl" travel information booth which was located directly opposite the LIRR ticket windows. I walked that station frequently. I used the horrible toilet facilities. I looked through the shops and ate at Nedick's hot dog counter. I waited in the LIRR's poor excuse for a waiting room. While the "Pennsy" side had been better renovated at the time, the LIRR side was really lacking. The whole place was a poorly lighted, dank, smelly, poorly air conditioned and claustrophic structure, what with the too-low, "temporary" ceiling that was in place dating from the time of the destruction of the wonderful structure above!!!

But, presently, what's there appears to be not only nice, but functional as well. (The LIRR's waiting room, however, has not changed too much from my days there.)

Converting the Farley building to a new Penn station is closing the barn door after the horse has run away!!! NYC HAD a beautiful Penn station. NYC DESTROYED that beautiful station. It's GONE!!! It can NEVER be replaced, even by a substitute structure.

Dave Keller

I agree with Dave. The present Penn station is 100% better than it was in the 70's. And the Amtrak waiting room and concourse area isnt bad at all.

Another waste of money. Improve the service to Albany/buffalo, look at California and the progress they have made with their Amtrak rail. NY is a huge money pit, it goes in and no results!!!

It's really all about real estate development. See this article from the NY Times today.

The design actually looks interesting, being somewhat evocative of the original Penn Station. But it is really all about the hotel that will be built in the building and the air rights that will be created and transferred to other sites.

where will the 13 n 2 trains go

Who Needs The NY Rangers LoL

who needs the canadiens

should we start a petition against this, or is it too late at this point?

I highly doubt this will happen with Amtrak bailing and all the politicis it will never happen.

Oh, and with the proposed plan, hypothetically speaking once the new station is opened, what will they do with the current Penn Station?

I gotta agree with just about everyone, the current Penn Station isn't a dazzling thing to look at with the eye, but it's functionality and convenience is what matters. Once the connection to Grand Central Station is completed the LIRR will be able to funnel passengers through there if they want people to be dazzled by a fancy station....which by the way is dazzling and functional at the same time, with the MNRR and subway connections.

spend the money on raising bridges, and such improvements needed to allow modern sized freight equipment into the area. build the tunnel under the harbor. etc.

who's decision was it to tear down the original Penn Station in favor of building MSG anyway, the state, the city, the owners of Penn Station at the time, or the owners of MSG at the time?