Amtrak reopens East River Tunnel line damaged by Superstorm Sandy
MANHATTAN (WABC) -- The rehabilitation of East River Tunnel Line 2, one of the busiest rail links in the Northeast Corridor, is complete, and Amtrak is marking the milestone with a reopening celebration Monday at Penn Station.
The tunnel, which carries more than 450 daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit trains, underwent a year-long overhaul after sustaining damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Amtrak officials say the 116-year-old tunnel has been modernized and rebuilt to improve reliability and safety for the hundreds of thousands of passengers who rely on the corridor each day. The project included stripping Line 2 down to its concrete liner and reconstructing key tunnel systems, along with related infrastructure upgrades near Long Island City in Queens.
The tunnel closure contributed to service challenges for commuters. In May, a track fire disrupted rail service into Penn Station for three days, sending some trains to Grand Central Terminal instead.
The railroad will host a press conference and ceremonial train ride through the rehabilitated tunnel on Monday afternoon.
The rehabilitation project began in May 2025 with the full closure of Line 2 to allow crews maximum access while minimizing disruptions across the region's rail network. The East River Tunnel system, which opened in 1910 and connects Penn Station with Queens and the rail corridor to Boston, consists of four tunnel tubes. Amtrak is rehabilitating the two tubes damaged by Sandy, with work on Line 1 expected to begin this fall and continue through the end of 2027.
Lines 3 and 4 do not currently require rehabilitation.
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Download our connected TV app
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
