Readers Write: Past mass transit construction delays weigh on present

The Island Now

Last month’s announcement by LIRR President Philip Eng concerning the return of full Penn Station service after Amtrak completed this past summer’s work was premature. The same is true for placing one train set of new M9 electric cars into revenue service.

The periodic cancellation and combining of trains due to problems in the East River Tunnels and other portions of the system due to adverse weather, signal, power, broken rail and switches or mechanical train problems will continue for years to come.

Continued delays of over two years and growing for delivery and acceptance of new M9 electric cars (the first set finally went into service last month) going into passenger service will add to difficulties in meeting peak service requirements. There is no guarantee that all 202 new M9 electric cars will be inspected, accepted and go into passenger service by March 2021.

How will this new equipment operate in cold winters, snow and other adverse weather conditions?  More M9 electric cars are also needed to provide additional service for future East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal starting in December 2022.

These delays in receipt of new M9 electric cars result in increasing reliance of older electric cars, which have reached their useful life based on industry standards and should have been replaced several years ago.

Older electric cars are more likely to be adversely impacted by extreme cold and snow resulting in mechanical failure and removal from service. Combined with a limited number of available spares can result in a shortage of equipment for rush hour service.

The Holban Hillside heavy maintenance facility can handle only so many out of service electric cars in need of repair.  Many other electric cars in the M7 fleet that went into service in 2002 are approaching the need for major mid-life overhauls.

This is necessary after 20 years of service to insure they can reliably and safely operate another 20 years to obtain 40 years of service. Removal of electric cars from service for mid-life overhauls can take several weeks to months before they are returned to passenger service.

Pending construction for Phase 2 of Hudson Yards foundation pilings at the Penn Station West Side Yards will reduce mid-day equipment storage capacity.  This will result in fewer trains being available for rush hour evening service.

There is also other ongoing Amtrak Penn Station and LIRR East Side Access work between the East River tunnel portals and Woodside Queens station.

There is no room to run additional trains into or out of Penn Station during rush hours via the East River tunnels.

This has been the case for decades.  Three of four tunnels run inbound morning and evening rush hours.  They have tight spacing between trains. One tunnel is shared by the LIRR, NJ Transit and Amtrak for reverse train movements, with equally tight spacing during rush hours.

There is no platform capacity at Penn Station to accommodate additional rush-hour trains.  Penn Station is currently operating at 100 percent capacity.

The Federal Transit Administration provided $432 billion in June 2016 to the MTA.  These funds were intended to be spent quickly for 2012 Super Storm Sandy-related work in the East River Tunnels to bring them up to a state of good repair.

Amtrak has said they will not begin significant use of these funds for another 6 years, until 2025.  This does no one any good.

Amtrak has delayed for decades overdue major repairs to the East River tunnels until the LIRR begins service into Grand Central Terminal in early 2023.  It has been estimated that delaying the start of work by six years from 2019 to 2025 could increase costs by 300 percent to $1 billion.

The continued deterioration of the East River Tunnels over time could result in an increased scope of work and accompanying service disruptions.  Combined with responses to the procurement process from contractors, the final cost could end up several hundred million more than the current engineers’ estimate.

Only one of four East River Tunnels can be taken out of service at a time for reconstruction.  It will take one to two years to finish work on two of the four tunnels that suffered the most damage due to Super Storm Sandy in 2012.

The remaining two other tunnels may require one year each.  This means canceled, combined and shorter trains for years to come.

As a result, this project may not be completed until 2030. Until this work is over, it is impossible to increase rush hour Penn Station capacity and guarantee reliable uninterrupted service that riders desire.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation historian, advocate and writer who previously worked in  31 years for the US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office.

 

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