Next Round Of Amtrak Repairs At Penn Station Are Urgent And Can't Wait, Official Says
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The next round of Amtrak repairs at Penn Station is urgent enough that officials say it cannot wait for the slow season.
As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, Amtrak chief operating officer Scott Naparstek said in total, about 50 trains a day will either have to be rerouted or canceled between January and May.
One track at a time will be out of service, and they will be repairing what is called the C interlocking – which Naparstek said "directs Amtrak and Long Island Railroad trains to routes heading east and also to our Sunnyside yard."
Asked why they are not doing it in the summer when ridership is typically lower, Naparstek danced around a bit before coming to the point – it is too urgent.
"There is only a certain amount of time that I would want to wait before we do the work," he said.
NJ TRANSIT is out with an updated schedule that includes diversions for some North Jersey Coast Line and North East Corridor trains. The LIRR said its plan will come in December.