Amtrak Faces Pressure Over East River Tunnel Strategy

Amtrak’s tunnel repair strategy has drawn criticism from New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who warns of severe consequences for LIRR and Empire Service passengers if the plan proceeds unchanged. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Amtrak’s Cuts Raise Concerns for Commuters and State Officials

Governor Hochul has called on Amtrak to revise its East River Tunnel project due to service cuts and a lack of additional capacity on Empire Service. Her letter to Amtrak’s leadership criticized the decision to proceed with reductions while delaying repairs.

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The loss of Horizon cars has worsened the situation, leaving Empire Service passengers without promised relief. Hochul also emphasized the risk to LIRR operations, which heavily rely on the tunnels for daily service.

Amtrak Encouraged to Consider Alternative Repair Options

Hochul proposed that Amtrak explore nighttime and weekend repairs instead of full tube closures. If that’s not possible, she advised rerouting Empire Service trains to Grand Central and using additional commuter rail cars to maintain service levels.

Amtrak responded by stating that it plans to minimize disruption by closing one tunnel tube at a time, keeping most services running. However, LIRR officials remain skeptical, warning of serious consequences from even minor incidents during this phase.

U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler also urged federal intervention, calling the plan “avoidable” and damaging for New York travelers. Last year, MTA officials had already encouraged Amtrak to limit repairs to off-peak hours.

Although Amtrak claims there will be no major service disruptions, both LIRR and NJ Transit trains rely on these tunnels to connect Queens and Penn Station. Concerns continue to grow as more leaders push for immediate changes to protect passenger convenience.

Source: www.trains.com

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