The East Side Access Project Discussion (ESA)

[F-line to Dudley via Park]

So there were engineering reasons why the LIRR tunnel couldn't be any higher; I get it. But today it seems ludicrous that they won't be able to ever run bi-level trains thru it like the older East River Tunnels. And it limits LIRR's Grand Central Line forever and ever to single level cars. A real shame.

On the bright side, this will force them to electrify any place that wants direct service to the new terminal. It *might* speed up electrification to Yaplank or Speonk.

Exactly. Port Jeff + Central Branch electrification were always part of the pan-ESA goals. ESA becoming an infinitely delayed boondoggle and add-a-track + crossing eliminations getting bogged down in NIMBY clownshow are the only reasons why those electrifications aren't front-burner. Demand surge vs. layover capacity would then ultimately force the issue on extension east to Zone 8 for siting larger layovers. Thus, a "Final System Plan" where the Scoots are the only diesels.

It'll happen, but like anything ESA adjust your timetables 1.5 decades ahead at minimum.

[bellstbarn]

We are now on the 42nd page of this ESA thread, and I am having difficulty finding a diagram that I once saw on a link on this board or on mta.info site.
I am talking about the diagram of how the LIRR passengers arriving at Grand Central Terminal will get up to the street. It seems that there is a bank of long escalators to get to a LIRR concourse beneath the current GCT, but I forget how the crowds are dispersed to neighboring streets. Are there any provisions for a northern exit from the two levels of LIRR platforms?
---
I feel sure that a MTA brochure (reproduced on the website) showed these exit routes, but I have been unable to find the diagram again, either using the railroad.net search engine or the search on mta.info or on Google.
Many thanks if you can help!

[SwingMan]

Yes, there will be at least one northern entrance for LIRR customers.

[MNCRR9000]

Latest update from the Long Island Rail Road Committee Meeting 9/26/2016

MTA Capital Construction President, Dr. Michael Horodniceanu reported progress on the
East Side Access (ESA) Project.
In Manhattan, the GCT Concourse and Facilities Fit-Out (CM014B) contractor has
placed approximately 55% of the structural concrete floor slab and MT A Capital Construction
expects the contractor to complete the remaining portion by December. The contractor has
placed the concrete escalator pits and walls at the dining concourse and the ramp fonnwork is
underway for placement of a new ramp from platform J to the concourse. The forecasted
completion date of the entire contract is trending late by approximately six months due to the
contractor's late submission of structural steel shop drawings. The construction manager has put
the contractor on notice of the delay and requested that that the contractor submit a recovery
schedule.
Master Page # 7 of 155 - Long Island Rail Road Committee Meeting 9/26/2016
________________________________________________________________________________
Meeting Minutes
LI Committee July 25, 2016
The North Structures (CM006) contract has a Substantial Completion date of June 2017
and the contractor is progressing on schedule. The contractor completed the east upper level
wall and is currently working on the west upper level wall.
In Queens, the Plaza Substation and Queens Structures (CQ032) contract has a
Substantial Completion date of September 6, 2016. A modification for water proofing at the
Plaza Interlocking Structure may affect the Substantial Completion date. The Harold Structures -
Part 3 (CH057) contractor has completed drilling for approximately 60% of the piles for the
Secant Box Structure. The Harold Structures - Part 3A (CH057 A) contractor commenced tunnel
shield mining of the Westbound Bypass Tunnel and had completed approximately 28 of the 620
feet of tunneling as ofJuly 15.
The Systems Package 1 - Facilities Systems (CS 179) contractor is installing electrical
conduits and mechanical equipment in eight facilities as well as tunnel lighting and cables in the
Queens tunnels. The Systems Package 4 - Traction Power (CS084) contractor has completed
construction of the new Con Edison L3 service. The service, which will power the Harold signal
huts, is waiting on Con Edison energization.
MT A Capital construction has committed approximately $8. 7 billion to contracts and has
approximately $1.5 billion remaining to commit. Of the $8.7 billion committed, approximately
75% has been expended.

Still showing a revenue service date of December 2022 total cost of 10.8 billion.

http://web.mta.info/mta/news/books/pdf/ ... 0_LIRR.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dump The Air]

Still showing a revenue service date of December 2022 total cost of 10.8 billion.

lmao

[Ðauntless]

I think the numbers are reversed. That should be 2202, and 80.1 billion....

[SRich]

[lpetrich]

MTA | Capital Programs East Side Access | Project Documents is now up Q3 2016 of its quarterly reports.

PDF page 12 (document page 9) gives a summary of the statuses of the contracts. There are 13 contracts being actively worked on, along the length of the line, with 7 more to start work on. They include one Manhattan contract, no non-Harold Queens contracts, and 6 Harold-Interlocking contracts. So it looks like Harold will be the big bottleneck.

[nyandw]

1998 LIRR Grand Central Connection Brochure: Anyone with this item to post or a link? Thank you.

[Jeff Smith]

I was trolling the capital dashboard on the MTA site today, and came up with some tidbits:

Sunnyside Station: Construction Start and End January 2021 - December 2022. $76.5m
http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/al ... 2&PLTYPE=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cab Simulator: $4,281,753 due March 2019
http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/al ... 4&PLTYPE=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rolling Stock: $7.5m protect locomotives design, manufacture, test, deliver by Dec 2022
http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/al ... 4&PLTYPE=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rolling Stock: $194.5m Project provides for a portion of the funds for the purchase of rail cars needed to support Long Island Rail Road services to Grand Central Terminal, pending completion of a fleet procurement strategy. Due 12/22
http://web.mta.info/capitaldashboard/al ... 8&PLTYPE=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lpetrich]

MTA | Capital Programs East Side Access | Project Documents is now at Q1 2017

PDF page 9 lists three critical paths: Harold, Manhattan/Queens Systems, and Midday Yard, and PDF page 11 has a diagram of them. The most critical of them is evidently the Harold one.

Looking at the individual contracts, CQ033 (the Midday Yard), is supposed to be starting, while CM006 (Manhattan North Structures) and CQ032 (Plaza Substation & Queens Structures Construction) should both be finishing in the next few months.

[EuroStar]

As per the quarterly report linked to into the previous post, the Westbound Bypass construction has been stuck for 6 months now. There is some problem with the shield, so the tunneling work has not advanced an inch during this time. The report seems to indicate that there is hope that the work could resume this summer, but that would still mean 9 lost months. While the bypass might not benefit LIRR directly as it will be used by Amtrak only (and Metro-North at a future date), it helps untangling Harold and reducing delays for both Amtrak and LIRR. This must have been a really bad engineering blunder, for the contractor to not be able to devise a solution for so long. The design here was done by a different contractor, so it is not too surprising that when it came to actually building the bypass tunnel, the construction firm could not figure it out. I must say that Cuomo has got the right idea with design-build contracts where the same firm is responsible for both the design and the construction.

[railfan365]

Given the degree of how much more time and money it's taking to build ESA than originally planned, I ask:could a private company have done better? How problematic was it to connect the L.I.R.R. to Penn Station? How problematic was it to put parts of the Brooklyn Branch undeground?

[Frank]

I don't think a private company would do any better.

[EuroStar]

The first strings of rail were pulled through some of the tunnels under the yards (I think tunnel D) in Queens this past week. Of course, we are very very far from being able to run something on them, but it is a milestone.