From the President and CEO of Amtrak
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Dear Amtrak Traveler, riting this column inviting you to explore my home state has always been enjoyable for me, and this year it takes on added meaning since I will retire as the head of America’ s Railroad ® in a few months. Whether you want to get lost in nature, step back in time in historic small towns or experience a variety of cultural offerings from Broadway hits to arts festivals, there’ s truly something for every interest and budget in the Empire State.
Amtrak delivers you to the heart of the action, operating approximately 140 daily trains across New York. Many of these run on the busy Northeast Corridor, but the state-supported Empire Service also offers three daily round-trips east of Niagara Falls, four east of Buffalo, six east of Schenectady, and 12 south of Albany to New York City. Altogether, Empire Service trains carried nearly 1.6 million customers in Fiscal Year 2015. In addition, the Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express run along the scenic Hudson River into Canada and Vermont, respectively.
Since Amtrak began operations 45 years ago, it has been engaged in a strong partnership with the State of New York. We are working closely to enhance the rail network not only for the average 12 million passengers who have passed through New York stations in each of the past few years, but also for the next generation that will reap the continuing benefits of today’ s investments. Joint projects include building and rehabilitating passenger stations, tracks, signal systems and other infrastructure.
Stations are a prime opportunity to make positive first and last impressions, and so Amtrak, New York State and communities are working to upgrade facilities. A modern intermodal center will open this spring in Niagara Falls. Next door, a historic customs house has been rehabilitated for use as a museum. Construction is underway on a new facility in Rochester that will feature retail space, an underground concourse for accessing trains and improved accessibility for travelers. Work also continues at the Albany- Rensselaer station to install a fourth track. It will increase station capacity and improve operating flexibility, thereby leading to better on-time performance. And construction bids were requested earlier this year for a new Schenectady intermodal facility.
One of the most complex projects is planned for New York Penn Station, where more than 600,000 Amtrak and commuter rail passenger trips take place every day. This past January, I joined Governor Cuomo to announce a simultaneous procurement for the redevelopment of Penn Station and the adjacent James A. Farley Post Office
Building. Amtrak supports the governor’ s vision for a series of renovations to Penn Station that will decrease congestion, add more space and improve retail offerings. Concurrently, the Farley Building will be transformed to include Moynihan
Train Hall, which will become the new primary Amtrak boarding location, as well as dynamic mixed-use development.
A modernized and expanded Penn Station is just one component of the larger Gateway Program, a proposed set of strategic rail infrastructure improvements designed to improve current services and increase track, tunnel, bridge and station capacity that will allow the doubling of passenger trains running under the Hudson River.
The program includes rebuilding and replacing the damaged components of the existing, century-old Hudson River tunnel, which was inundated with water during Super Storm Sandy. In order to do so while preserving existing service, a new two-track tunnel will also be constructed. In late 2015, the states of New York and New Jersey, the U. S. Department of Transportation and Amtrak agreed to form the Gateway Development Corporation to implement and fund the construction of the new Hudson River tunnel.
Amtrak is also investing in new equipment for greater reliability and passenger comfort. Skilled workers in Elmira, N. Y., are assembling 130 single-level rail cars that will primarily be used on eastern national network trains. Many of the new baggage cars began to enter service in 2015, replacing equipment that was more than 50 years old. This year Amtrak will also announce a contract to acquire new technologically advanced high-speed trainsets for the next generation of Acela Express service. In addition to being faster and lighter, each trainset will have 40 percent more seats than those currently in use. There will also be 40 percent more trainsets, allowing for increased departures during peak hours.
As evidenced by these many projects, the future of passenger rail in New York State looks as bright as the shining lights of Times Square. This guide is a great way to find inspiration and helpful information for your travels. I wish you a safe and pleasant journey and hope to see you on board!
Sincerely,
Joseph H. Boardman President and CEO
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