Hudson River Tunnel Project Advances Without Boosting Capacity

The $16 billion Hudson River Tunnel project aims to enhance rail reliability between New Jersey and New York City but won’t expand train capacity due to existing constraints at Penn Station. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Tunnel Construction Enhances Reliability but Not Capacity

The Hudson River Tunnel project, part of the Gateway Program, involves constructing a new two-track tunnel beneath the Hudson River and rehabilitating the existing 113-year-old North River Tunnel. This initiative seeks to improve the resilience and reliability of the Northeast Corridor, the busiest passenger rail line in the United States .

Don’t miss…BNSF Completes Bridge Replacement and Reopens Arkansas Rail Line

Despite these efforts, the project won’t increase the number of trains during peak hours. Penn Station’s current infrastructure lacks the capacity to handle additional trains, limiting the potential benefits of the new tunnel.

Tunnel Project Faces Operational Constraints at Penn Station

Amtrak and NJ Transit have proposed expanding Penn Station to accommodate more trains, but these plans face significant challenges. Governor Kathy Hochul has expressed opposition to demolishing nearby buildings for expansion, citing concerns about neighborhood disruption .

Transportation experts suggest alternatives like through-running trains between New Jersey and Long Island, which would require significant coordination and infrastructure changes. However, such proposals have yet to gain the necessary political support.

While the tunnel project addresses critical infrastructure needs, its inability to increase train capacity raises questions about its overall impact on regional transit improvements.

Source: gothamist.com

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: