NY Penn Station Plans To Double Train Service To NJ During Peak Hours
According to the most recent feasibility study, Amtrak, MTA and NJ Transit hope to increase Trans-Hudson train capacity at New York Penn Station—though it won’t be easy.
Expanding service capacity at New York Penn Station, as intended by the Gateway Program, would not only meet the demands of the region, but enhance reliability and support future cross-regional rail service.
The Gateway Program lays out a series of infrastructure improvements that would increase train capacity at Newark Penn Station and NYP, with a main focus to double passenger train service between New York and New Jersey.
Under the Gateway Program, Amtrak, MTA and NJ Transit seek to increase train service between NYC and NJ from 24 trains per hour to 48 trains per hour, during peak times within the Northeast Corridor (NEC). However, at this moment, New York Penn Station is already operating at its maximum capacity.
Therefore, the study took a look at four different concepts to double train capacity during peak hours and expand the Amtrak Empire Service, all without adding to the station’s current footprint. These potential concepts include everything from constructing 10 tracks beneath the existing station to a “Full Reconstruction” that would require the demolition of existing tracks and the creation of wider platforms.
Yet upon analysis, all four concepts proved infeasible—whether it was constructibility flaws, safety concerns or operational issues. Therefore, the next steps will be to determine new options for expanding the station’s physical footprint to meet the Gateway goal.
“This study demonstrates that to meet the needs of the region, we must expand the station beyond its existing footprint to deliver the passenger capacity promised by the Gateway program,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “The feasibility study is part of a long-term collaboration between Amtrak, MTA, and NJ TRANSIT to seek ways to transform the busiest train station in the Western Hemisphere into a modern, world-class facility with the capacity to provide 200,000 more passenger trips.”
“This detailed analysis lays the groundwork to how the region can work together to meet long-term capacity needs while also clearing the way for immediate improvements for the 600,000 daily customers in existing Penn Station,” echoed MTA Construction & Development President Jamie Torres-Springer.
You can find greater detail on the study and the Railroad Partners’ vision for New York Penn Station online.
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