Amtrak Reducing Hudson Valley Service for Upcoming Repairs
Capital Region Amtrak riders will see service reductions to New York City for the next three years starting Veterans Day due to construction on a century-old New York City tunnel damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Construction Requirements
The construction requires Amtrak to close the two damaged East River tubes one at a time. This will throw off the commute of riders like Kara Guilfoyle of Vermont.
Impact on Commuters
Guilfoyle expressed concerns about the impact on her commute, saying, “Those of us coming from New York City depend on the…like…regularity in the schedule. So hearing that three trains will be gone, does that mean our wait times will be much longer?”
Service Cuts
Amtrak is reducing Empire Line Service by two round trips and combining the Adirondack and Maple Leaf lines into one train between New York City and Albany. They will also adjust some departure and arrival times. Several passengers were concerned that these service cuts would make already overcrowded trains even more packed.
Overcrowding Concerns
Passengers like Cealy Moore of Loudonville expressed concerns about the impact on overcrowding. “I’m always seated next to someone. Everyone you know always has a ton of luggage with them. It’s always crowded coming home from New York City,” she said.
Advocacy Group’s Solutions
The Empire State Passengers Association has solutions to mitigate the impact of the service cuts. According to Steve Strauss, Executive Director of the Empire State Passengers Association, “We’ve suggested that they add an extra car to each of the trains so that the remaining trains in the Hudson Valley are longer and the number of seats in the corridor does not decrease.”
Longer Layovers
Longer layovers in Rensselaer due to the combination of Empire and Maple Leaf lines are also a concern. The Empire State Passengers Association suggests negotiating with the freight railroads to adjust the times and locations of the layover.
Conclusion
The service reductions will have a significant impact on Amtrak riders in the Hudson Valley, particularly those who rely on the regular schedule. While Amtrak has implemented measures to mitigate the impact, passengers and advocacy groups are calling for additional solutions to address overcrowding and longer layovers.
FAQs
Q: What is the reason for the service reductions?
A: The service reductions are due to construction on a century-old New York City tunnel damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Q: How will the service cuts affect commuters?
A: The service cuts will reduce Empire Line Service by two round trips and combine the Adirondack and Maple Leaf lines into one train between New York City and Albany, resulting in longer wait times and potential overcrowding.
Q: What solutions have been proposed by the Empire State Passengers Association?
A: The Empire State Passengers Association has suggested adding an extra car to each of the trains to increase capacity and negotiating with the freight railroads to adjust the times and locations of layovers.
Q: When will the service reductions take effect?
A: The service reductions will take effect starting Veterans Day and will last for the next three years.
