Popular Penn Station commuter bar being forced to close

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Pictures of Long Island train stations of decades past line the walls, murals of historic train cars hang above every booth, and Lionel train sets hang from the ceiling. There's only one place like it in Penn Station and maybe New York City.

"I love the bartenders, I love the owners. One of the best places in New York City," says one customer of Tracks Raw Bar and Grill, which has been serving up oysters, clams and nearly every beer on tap for almost two decades.

But come summer’s end, the popular commuter bar is being told to leave its spot in the transit hub as construction begins on a new entrance to Penn Station, part of a $600 million overhaul.

Bruce Caulfield is the co-owner of Tracks. He says the letter he received in April notifying him of the eviction made his heart sink.

"It is my baby and I created this out of my own concept. It still shocks me. My stomach gets very nervous thinking about it," Caulfield says.

He says he's willing to do anything it takes to keep Tracks at Penn Station. Even if that means making his bar a bit smaller.

He's made that plea to Governor Cuomo. The MTA says In a statement that the renovations are a "once in a generation project" and that "no one is satisfied with the conditions of Penn Station and this is part of our transformative work to widen the main LIRR corridor, raise ceilings, build a new entrance that will bring sunlight to the main LIRR concourse and improve lighting and signage."

Construction on the project is set to begin Monday.