Amtrak's Penn Station track work continues
NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Track 15 at Penn Station has gotten a facelift of sorts. A section of 1,100 feet of new steel rails is just the tip of the iceberg.
Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams said crews will be updating the actual rail, pouring new concrete, putting in new plywood, and creating new drainage. Plus the electrified third rail itself needs to be replaced.
The work is part of Amtrak's infrastructure renewal program where replacing the old with the new came to a head last year during the so-called Summer of Hell.
When service disruptions and derailments started to become routine for customers, Amtrak proceeded with the emergency removal of aging and heavily used tracks and switches.
Work on Track 15 began January 5 and is expected to end next week. Track 18 will follow tracks 10 and 15 as next on the priority list.
Amtrak is working hard and around the clock to repair the problems but still has a reputation that some might say is off the rails.
Amtrak's Abrams said customers should know that "everything is going to OK and that trains will run on time.
The work on Track 18 is expected to be finished by the end of May. After that, Amtrak will announce the next round of track replacements.