Penn Station summer track work to impact New Jersey Transit, LIRR, Amtrak
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Another challenging summer is ahead for commuters who use New York Penn Station, where Amtrak will once again take tracks out of service for much needed repairs.
In 2017, Amtrak repaired the A Interlocking, the complex maze of tracks and switches that route trains on the western side of Penn Station, the side closest to New Jersey.
This year, Amtrak will repair the C and JO interlockings, located on the other side, closest to Long Island and the Sunnyside rail yards.
But through a shared agreement, when tracks at Penn Station are taken out of service, the remaining ones are redistributed equally among the three rail agencies -- Amtrak, LIRR and New Jersey Transit -- so everyone feels the pain.
The good news for commuters is there will be less work this time around, so the diversions and cancellations will be more strategic and are expected to impact less the half than those inconvenienced during the so-called "Summer of Hell" in 2017.
However, NJ Transit has the additional problem of its ongoing engineer shortage, one that made last summer tougher than 2017 for many.
New engineers are currently being trained, but they won't graduate until this fall, and union officials are already predicting the same delays and cancellations as last summer.
NJ Transit Changes
Beginning June 17, NJ Transit will be diverting select Midtown Direct rail service on the Montclair-Boonton line and on North Jersey Coastline train to Hoboken. Other service adjustments will include Morris and Essex Line Midtown Direct trains no longer stopping at Newark Broad Street during the morning and evening peak periods, and a limited number of Midtown Direct reverse-peak trains will operate from Hoboken.
A.M. Peak Period PSNY Arrivals Diverted To Hoboken Arrivals:
--MOBO 6206, currently arrives at PSNY 7:40 a.m., will arrive at Hoboken 7:32 a.m. and be renumbered 206.
--MOBO 6210, currently arrives at PSNY 8:20 a.m., will arrive at Hoboken 8:09 a.m. and be renumbered 210.
--MOBO 6214, currently arrives at PSNY 8:59 a.m., will arrive at Hoboken 8:49 a.m. and be renumbered 214.
--MOBO 6216, currently arrives at PSNY at 9:50 a.m., will arrive at Hoboken 9:42 a.m. and be renumbered 218
--NJCL 3216, currently arrives at PSNY 7:30 a.m., will arrive at Hoboken at 7:28 a.m. and be renumbered 2602.
Customers may utilize 3212, the 5:44 a.m. out of Long Branch or the 3318, 5:40 a.m. departure from Bay Head. Customers may also remain on NJCL 3216 and deboard at Newark Penn Station to transfer to a Northeast Corridor (NEC) train into PSNY.
A.M. Peak Period PSNY Departures Diverted To Hoboken Departures
--M&E Midtown Direct 6613, currently departs PSNY 8:02 a.m., will depart Hoboken 8:02 a.m.
Customers may also board M&E Midtown Direct 6315, which will operate at 8:24 a.m. from PSNY, extend from Summit to Dover and be renumbered 6615.
--M&E Midtown Direct 6617, currently departs PSNY 8:42 a.m., will depart Hoboken 8:31 a.m. and be renumbered 317.
317 will terminate at Summit. Customers traveling beyond Summit can use M&E Midtown Direct Train 6615, operating from PSNY at 8:24 a.m., Customers can also use MOBO Midtown Direct Train 6227, operating from PSNY at 9:10 a.m., then transfer at Newark Broad Street Station for Train 851 at 9:31 a.m.
--M&E Midtown Direct 6317, currently departs PSNY 9:22 a.m., will depart Hoboken 9:24 a.m. and be renumbered 319.
P.M. Peak Period PSNY Departures Diverted To Hoboken Departures:
--MOBO 6263, currently departs PSNY at 4:52 p.m., will depart Hoboken 4:54 p.m. and be renumbered 263.
--MOBO 6273, currently departs PSNY at 5:31 p.m., will depart Hoboken 5:36 p.m. and be renumbered 273.
--MOBO 6279, currently departs PSNY at 6:10 p.m., will depart Hoboken 6:22 p.m. and be renumbered 279.
--MOBO 6283, currently departs PSNY at 6:41 p.m., will depart Hoboken 6:47 p.m. and be renumbered 283.
--NJCL 3269, currently departs PSNY at 5:46 p.m., will depart Hoboken 5:43 p.m. and be renumbered 2611.
Alternate travel options for all customers except those traveling to Avenel and Perth Amboy include 3267, the 5:33 p.m. departure from PSNY or 3271, the 5:55 p.m. departure from PSNY. Avenel and Perth Amboy customers should use 3513, the 5:25 p.m. departure from PSNY, or 3271, the 5:55 p.m. departure from PSNY. Customers may also travel on an NEC train to Newark Penn Station and board an NJCL train at Newark Penn Station.
P.M. Peak Period PSNY Arrivals Directed to Hoboken Arrivals:
--M&E Midtown Direct 6656, currently arrives at PSNY 5:04 p.m., will arrive at Hoboken 4:57 p.m. and be renumbered 656.
Customers can utilize M&E Midtown Direct 6654 arriving at PSNY at 4:52 p.m. or M&E Midtown Direct 6658 arriving at PSNY at 5:31 p.m.
Note: MOBO 250, which currently departs MSU at 4:33 p.m. toward Hoboken, will depart at 3:41 p.m. and is renumbered as train 246. Customers have two alternative options:
--MOBO Midtown Direct 6248, departing MSU at 4:13 p.m. and arriving at PSNY at 5:08 p.m. Hoboken customers can transfer from Train 6248 to Train 430 at Newark Broad Street. Train 430 departs Newark Broad Street at 4:57 PM and arrives in Hoboken at 5:13 PM.
--MOBO Midtown Direct 6252, departing MSU at 5:07 p.m. and arriving at PSNY at 5:57 p.m. Hoboken customers can transfer from Train 6248 to Train 430 at Newark Broad Street. Train 432 departs Newark Broad Street at 5:56 PM and arrives in Hoboken at 6:13 PM.
Long Island Rail Road changes:
Starting July 1, seven morning rush trains and seven evening rush trains will be affected. To offset these changes, rive trains are being added and select trains will be lengthened. Additionally, some trains will make additional stops and rush hour seating capacity will equal the current levels.
Babylon Branch:
Westbound
--The 6:56 a.m. train from Wantagh to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.
--The 8:25 a.m. train from Freeport to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.
--A 5:43 a.m. train from Freeport to Penn Station will be added and operate on weekdays this period.
--The 7:10 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station will not operate during this period.
--To help accommodate these customers, some scheduled stops from this train will be added to the 7:21 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station, and other stops will be added to the 7:44 a.m. train from Merrick to Penn Station.
Eastbound
--A 7:02 p.m. train from Hunterspoint Ave to Freeport will be added and operate on weekdays this period.
--A 3:31 p.m. train from Penn Station to Babylon will be added and operate on weekdays this period.
--The 4:34 p.m. train from Penn Station to Babylon will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 4:37 p.m. train to Wantagh, with added stops.
--The 5:19 p.m. train from Penn Station to Wantagh will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 5:24 p.m. train to Freeport, with added stops.
--The 5:40 p.m. train from Penn Station to Seaford will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 5:47 p.m. train to Freeport, with added stops.
Far Rockaway Branch
Westbound
--The 8:10 a.m. train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 8:21 a.m. train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station with added stops.
Eastbound
--The 4:42 p.m. train from Penn Station to Far Rockaway will originate at Atlantic Terminal.
--The 5:32 p.m. train from Penn Station to Far Rockaway will originate at Jamaica. To reach this train from Penn Station, customers can board the 5:24 p.m. Freeport train from Penn Station, and change at Jamaica.
Hempstead Branch
Westbound
--The 7:12 a.m. train from Hempstead to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.
Eastbound
--The 5:04 p.m. train from Penn Station to Hempstead will originate at Jamaica. To reach this train from Penn Station, customers can board the 5:01 p.m. Farmingdale train from Penn Station, and change at Jamaica.
--The 5:38 p.m. train from Penn Station to Hempstead will originate at Atlantic Terminal.
Long Beach Branch
Westbound
--The 8:03 a.m. train from Long Beach to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.
Montauk Branch
Westbound
--The 6:21 a.m. train from Speonk to Penn Station will depart Speonk approximately 5 minutes earlier.
Eastbound
--The 6:16 a.m. train from Speonk to Montauk will depart Speonk approximately 5 minutes earlier.
Ronkonkoma Branch
Westbound
--A 5:12 a.m. train from Farmingdale to Penn Station will be added and operate on weekdays this period, stopping at Bethpage (5:16 a.m.), Hicksville (5:22 a.m.), Mineola (5:30 a.m.), and Jamaica (5:46 a.m.), arriving Penn Station at 6:05 a.m.
--The 6:54 a.m. train from Central Islip to Penn Station will terminate at Jamaica Station.
Eastbound
--The 1:59 p.m. train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma, which normally operates on Holiday Eves, will operate on weekdays during this period on an adjusted schedule.
Amtrak changes:
Amtrak schedule adjustments will include:
--Northeast Regional Train 110, operating from Washington, D.C. (WAS) to New York Penn Station (NYP), and 127 operating from NYP to WAS will be cancelled.
--Northbound Keystone Train 640 is terminating at Newark Penn Station (NWK).
--Southbound Keystone Train 643 is originating at NWK.
--Southbound Keystone Train 653 is departing NYP early.
--Cardinal Train 51 will depart NYP early on weekdays only.
--Maple Leaf Train 63 and Adirondack Train 69 will be combined on the regular time slot for 63 and will split at Albany, N.Y. (ALB).
----------
