Filthy Penn Station Bathrooms To Be De-Stenched, Amtrak Says

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The pungent stench of Penn Station's famously disgusting bathrooms is something any regular commuter never fully forgets. Holding their breath as they shuffle through puddles and past homeless people doing their laundry in sinks, a visit to the hub's facilities is a central part of their New York City experience.

And it's one – hopefully – that could soon be in the past.

The next round of upgrades at Penn Station could tackle the bathrooms most people prefer to avoid. Amtrak has committed to renovating many of the station's long-neglected commodes, The New York Times first reported. (For more news about your NYC neighborhood, subscribe to Patch to get a daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.)

An Amtrak spokeswoman confirmed to Patch that the work is being planned, but did not have any immediate information about the project.

Amtrak CEO Wick Moorman told the Times that the station's bathrooms will be upgraded by the end of the year. So far, Amtrak has hired a contractor but has not yet settled on a plan of attack for the renovation, Moorman told the Times.

Unfortunately for commuters, things may get worse (if that's possible) before they get better. Due to the lack of alternative bathroom facilities within the stations, Amtrak may have to install port-a-potties during the renovation work, the Times reported.

Last week, Amtrak announced that a two-month period of intense construction work on the station's tracks had been completed head of schedule. During the two months of work, Amtrak demolished and replaced a long stretch of track 10 and did intensive repairs on the complicated junction where rails cross known as A Interlocking.

The work spurred anxiety over expected service nightmares and delays but, in the end, wasn't all that bad.

The transit company, which owns and operates the station, will continue making improvements through the end of the year and into 2018, but is expected to return to a weekend work schedule.

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