Closed stairs at Penn Station NYC

[philipmartin]

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... _stai.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[EuroStar]

What the article does not say is that NJT did not provide a single dollar of funding for the expanded West End Concourse. The money is mostly federal and MTA -- there is no reason for the MTA to spend any money on NJT passengers, so people should not be complaining. Indeed I suspect that the electronic boards in that concourse will be MTA's boards, not Amtrak's, so people will not be able to wait there to see which track their NJT train is on.

Somewhere I remember seeing that the extension to platforms 1 and 2 was also supposed to be paid by NJT. Given the severe capital problems of the agency, that is unlikely to happen any time during the next 15-20 years.

[geico]

What the article does not say is that NJT did not provide a single dollar of funding for the expanded West End Concourse. The money is mostly federal and MTA -- there is no reason for the MTA to spend any money on NJT passengers, so people should not be complaining. Indeed I suspect that the electronic boards in that concourse will be MTA's boards, not Amtrak's, so people will not be able to wait there to see which track their NJT train is on.

Somewhere I remember seeing that the extension to platforms 1 and 2 was also supposed to be paid by NJT. Given the severe capital problems of the agency, that is unlikely to happen any time during the next 15-20 years.

Never mind the fact the floors are being redone due to bad work. (cracks) see amtrak board

[JamesRR]

I read in another article that it was Cuomo who delayed this - in that, the communication displays weren't compatible with what was installed in the rest of Penn (the Amtrak/NJT main level) and so they're being replaced (hence the delay) per his request.

Either way, passengers won't really benefit on NJT for departing trains, as those who are boarding on track 1-4 cannot use the WEC - and since track assignments are not consistent, passengers have to wait in the main terminal. For arrivals, it will be a godsend, though.

[geico]

Pass thru here everyday.

Floors are being ripped up in the unopened section to presumably repair shoddy work on the terrazzo. Evidence can be seen of test areas opened up in the open area of the WEC to check how deep the cracks are/were.

Lighting was installed and then removed and appears to be starting to be reinstalled again.

Tarps hung over several areas in the open section to protect from leakage from above.

All in all, someone screwed up here with bad work, bad material bad design or some combination of above and thats why its late.

[mohawkrailfan]

Either way, passengers won't really benefit on NJT for departing trains, as those who are boarding on track 1-4 cannot use the WEC - and since track assignments are not consistent, passengers have to wait in the main terminal. For arrivals, it will be a godsend, though.

It will also be good for anyone checking Departure Vision for the track on their way to the station. And some trains come from Sunnyside and are consistently (though not guaranteed) on tracks 5 and up.

[JamesRR]

Either way, passengers won't really benefit on NJT for departing trains, as those who are boarding on track 1-4 cannot use the WEC - and since track assignments are not consistent, passengers have to wait in the main terminal. For arrivals, it will be a godsend, though.

It will also be good for anyone checking Departure Vision for the track on their way to the station. And some trains come from Sunnyside and are consistently (though not guaranteed) on tracks 5 and up.

Yes - and now that NYCT has service in underground stations, checking Depature Vision on the way to Penn is possible for those getting there by subway.

[EuroStar]

There was another article on the stairs and how they are irking NJTransit customers in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. It is behind a paywall -- I read the paper version. The article does not say anything specific about the opening other than that it is expected in Spring 2017. At the rate they are going, I see Summer 2017 as more likely.

Here are some numbers from the article.
NJTransit boardings at Penn Station per year:
2014 -- 87,130
2015 -- 92,312
2016 -- 94,859
The article also states that 57,000 passengers use the platforms between 6am and 10am (I am assuming NJTransit only, but don't know for sure).

It is good to see rising numbers over time even though I doubt that we will reach 100,000 before 2022 as there is a fare hike lurking next year. Speaking of ridership, has anyone seen more detailed ridership numbers recently? Like per station?

[jamesinclair]

NJTransit boardings at Penn Station per year:
2014 -- 87,130
2015 -- 92,312
2016 -- 94,859

Usually this calls for added service. Instead, NJ Transit cut some late night options last year.

What was the last time NJ Transit ADDED to the schedule?

[TDowling]

Im very surprised the Port Authority contributed to the stairs' construction, especially considering the fact that their $4B+ Calatrava station is already having problems. That perhaps is the reason why they are closed

[Ken W2KB]

Open 1 of 2
FRM:NJ Transit Alerts
SUBJ:NJ Transit Alerts
MSG:The West End concourse in PSNY is now opened with additional access to tracks 5-21.
(Con't) 2 of 2
Customers can exit/enter from the street level at 31st & 8th and 33rd & 8th.

Sent: 11:06 AM
(End)

[jamesinclair]

Are there NJT ticket machines and departure boards?

[speedbird]

There are departure boards, I didn't see ticket machines or much else in the way of NJT branding. Rode a Secaucus-Forest Hills roundtrip commute today, and used this passage for the PM connection; used it in the AM to exit onto 8th Avenue at 31st via the post office.

[pumpers]

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... _stai.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This article says there are already stairs, closed at the time (March), to tracks 3,4, 5, and 6 as part of the west end concourse.
Access to 5 and up is now open as posted and in all the news articles. Everywhere I have read 1-4 is in the forever future.

Is there really already a stairwell to tracks 3 and 4 that could be opened as part of the West End concourse? Or is the article linked above just plain wrong?

JS

[andrewjw]

http://www.nj.com/traffic/index.ssf/201 ... _stai.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This article says there are already stairs, closed at the time (March), to tracks 3,4, 5, and 6 as part of the west end concourse.
Access to 5 and up is now open as posted and in all the news articles. Everywhere I have read 1-4 is in the forever future.

Is there really already a stairwell to tracks 3 and 4 that could be opened as part of the West End concourse? Or is the article linked above just plain wrong?

JS

It says their are staircases to platforms 3, 4, 5, 6, serving tracks 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12: platform i serves tracks 2i-1 and 2i.