Amtrak Releases ‘Summer Of Hell’ Plan For N.J. Train Commuters

Amtrak has released early plans for the dreaded “Summer of Hell” repairs coming to New York Penn Station. And they don’t bode well for many New Jersey residents who rely on train service for their daily commutes.

Following multiple derailments at the busy station, as well as track maintenance issues including "disabled trains,” Amtrak announced plans to embark on a series of major track and switch renewal projects that will ultimately “improve reliability at America’s busiest rail hub.”

In addition to anyone passing through New York Penn Station, the resulting schedule changes are expected to impact commuters throughout New Jersey, including Amtrak riders who utilize Northeast Regional, Keystone, Empire and long-distance service.

According to a Tuesday statement from Amtrak, the repair work – which has already begun – is expected to last until June 2018.

New Jersey commuters passing through Penn Station can expect to encounter the heaviest delays when the major work takes place in July and August, a period that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has dubbed the “Summer of Hell.”

According to Amtrak:

“A majority of this work will take place during weekends with little or no disruptions to weekday service, however, the more extensive work will take place during the weekdays of July and August, which will cause modifications to train schedules. Amtrak and its partners will plan to operate a modified scheduled July 10 to Sept. 1 to accommodate this work… Additional work will continue through 2018, with minimal impacts to regular service.”

On Tuesday, Amtrak said that the following schedule changes will go into effect from July 10 to Sept. 1:

• Northeast Regional Service: “Three round trip trains (six total trains) between New York and Washington cancelled. Service between New York and Boston will operate at currently scheduled levels.”
• Keystone Service: “Three round trip trains (six total trains) will start and end in Philadelphia, and one round trip train (two total trains) will start/end at Newark. Service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg will operate at currently scheduled levels.”
• Empire Service: “To be announced shortly.”
• Long-Distance Service: “The Crescent — operating between New York and New Orleans — will originate and terminate in Washington daily during work period. Connections will be provided on other Northeast Corridor trains.”

There are no schedule changes expected for Acela Express service, Amtrak stated.

“If you rely on riding a train into or out of New York Penn Station during the summer months, you may need to adjust your commuting schedule or travel plans,” Amtrak officials stated.

“Amtrak will not be providing alternate transportation,” the agency stated. “While we recognize the modified schedule will create some inconvenience, we will still be operating train service into and out of the station this summer.”

NJ TRANSIT DELAYS

NJ Transit – which has seen its service through Penn Station dramatically impacted as a result of the Amtrak repair project – recently said that riders traveling to and from New York Penn Station can expect to see “indefinite” delays while repairs are taking place.

Between July 10 and Sept. 1, all Midtown Direct trains will terminate at Hoboken… meaning commuters will have to use another way into New York City.

Commuters won't have to pay the same amount for disrupted service, NJ Transit officials said. A roughly 50 percent discount will be given off the price of a ticket during the Amtrak repairs.

• See related article: NJT Service Changes: Big Disruptions For Morris & Essex Line Commuters This Summer
• See related article: Penn Station Delays Will Continue Indefinitely

WHY ARE THE REPAIRS NEEDED?

According to Amtrak, here’s what will take place:

“Amtrak will be completing a full replacement and renewal of infrastructure in A-interlocking. A-Interlocking is an area of tracks and switches that serves as the critical sorting mechanism routing trains that enter Penn Station from the Hudson River tunnels and the Long Island Rail Road’s West Side Yard to the various tracks and platforms in the station. While Amtrak has been able to maintain and repair this infrastructure as-needed over the years, some of the current components are dated and full replacement is required to improve the reliability of this infrastructure at this complex and critical point of the station.”

Amtrak added:

“We recognize that there is never a good time to do this work but it needs to get done and our plan is designed to try and keep long-term disruptions to a minimum. We have been able to maintain and repair this infrastructure as-needed over the years, but some of the current components need full replacement to improve the reliability of this infrastructure at this complex and critical point of the station.”

GOODBYE TO THE ‘ONE-SEAT RIDE’

Several community leaders who represent areas impacted by the Amtrak and NJ Transit delays have spoken out in criticism of the repair plans.

“In this instance, I believe that my constituents are not being treated fairly,” said U.S. Congressman Donald Payne Jr., a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

According to Payne:

“The upcoming track work at Penn Station centers around the ‘A’ Interlocking which is primarily used by New Jersey Transit and Amtrak. Over 180,000 New Jersey Transit commuters travel through Penn Station daily, more than six times the number of Amtrak passengers, meaning that the closures will have an outsized impact on the already beleaguered New Jersey commuters.”

Payne said that he recognizes that track work is unavoidable. But he added that he disagrees with NJ Transit’s current plan to redirect all Midtown Direct trains to Hoboken while making no changes to other lines’ schedules, charging that it the plan will deny many of his constituents the “one-seat ride” that drew them to Northern New Jersey.

“Clearly, the suspension of the Morris & Essex Line’s Midtown Direct Service to New York Penn Station, and the diversion of tens of thousands of displaced rail commuters daily to PATH and New York Waterways ferries will have an impact throughout northern and central New Jersey,” said New Jersey Senator Bob Gordon, chair of the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee. “We need to thoroughly examine the agreement that NJ Transit, Amtrak and the Long Island Railroad reached and ensure that the pain is equally shared among commuters on the three railroads.”

“Commuters are already facing overcrowding and poor service, and that’s apparently going to get worse in the coming weeks, which is hard to believe,” said New Jersey Assemblyman John McKeon, chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. “Morris and Essex Line riders – many of whom live in my district – are going to be facing major inconvenience and are of major concern.”

Last week, Maplewood Mayor Victor De Luca and South Orange Village President Sheena Collum joined a chorus of municipal officials in Essex County who have blasted the ongoing delays.

“As mayors of two town on the Morris and Essex train line with nearly 7,000 daily riders at our three train stations, we are registering our objection to the decision… to divert all M&E Midtown Direct trains to Hoboken during the eight-week repair period at Penn Station,” De Luca and Collum said earlier this week in a joint statement.

“Train riders from our communities will have their personal and professional lives disrupted dramatically and the proposed fare discounts will not make up for the missed time with their families and the negative impacts on their business dealings,” the mayors posited.

• See related article: We’re Getting Fed Up With Amtrak/NJ Transit Delays: Officials

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Photos: Amtrak