NEW YORK — Natural lighting from huge skylights, spacious concourses, and dramatic entrances are key features of a dramatically reconfigured Penn Station under reconstruction options announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and renderings released by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The plans announced Wednesday offer two options — one that would retain the current two-level boarding configuration while creating a central atrium and using some of Amtrak’s current space for NJ Transit, and another that would create a single-level station, eliminating the cramped, low-ceiling nature and complex floor plan of the current layout. The MTA is inviting comment on the two alternatives here.
The proposals follow the opening of the adjacent Moynihan Train Hall at the end of December [see “News Photos: Ribbon-cutting provides first look …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 30, 2020]. They are part of Cuomo’s Empire Station Complex plan, which would add nine new tracks south of the current Penn Station along with the development of new skyscrapers to help pay for the project [see “Digest: Canadian crude-by-rail fell …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 26, 2021]. Cuomo said in a press release that the project will “enhance the passenger experience in North America’s busiest transportation hub. Together with our partners in New Jersey and at Amtrak, New York State is moving quickly to advance this comprehensive plan. These reconstruction alternatives provide a framework for a new and improved Penn Station that serves as an appropriate doorway to a world-class city.”
Under either alternative, the station reconstruction aims to unify operations such as ticketing, waiting areas, and cleaning services for all railroads; add more stairs, escalators, and elevators; increase concourse space to reduce congestion; and provide full accessibility in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.
