Penn Station Work Begins New Round Of Disruption

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Amtrak is resuming work on its Penn Station infrastructure renewal plan, the transit agency announced.

The construction work, which will target tracks and interlocking exchanges for eastbound Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road trains, will began Jan. 5 and is expected to last until the end of May. The work is part of the same plan that led New York City-area commuters to brace for a "Summer of Hell" in 2017, but is expected to be less disruptive.

Most of the construction work will be performed on the weekends and will only bring about "minor modifications" to Amtrak's weekday operations, the company announced.

The following changes to Amtrak's schedule will be put in place:

• Amtrak cancelled Northeast Regional Trains 110 from Washington, D.C. (WAS) to New York Penn Station (NYP) and 127 from NYP to WAS
• Northbound Keystone Train 640 is terminating at Newark Penn Station
• Southbound Keystone Train 643 is originating at Newark Penn Station
• Southbound Train 173 is stopping at Newark Airport
• Southbound Trains 129, 193 and 653 are all having earlier departure times.
• Train 170 is also departing early, is stopping at North Philadelphia and Cornwells Heights and resuming its schedule from Trenton.

Changes will also be made to some NJ Transit And Long Island Rail Road service, Pix 11 reported.

The construction work entails demolition and reconstruction of Penn Station tracks 15 and 18 as well as the replacement of three turnouts in the station's “C” interlocking exchange. The "C" interlocking exchange directs Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road trains heading east of Penn Station.

The work is expected to be completed by May 28, Amtrak announced.

Photo by Shant Shahrigian/Patch