Amtrak Empire Connection outage due to parking garage issues

It was and will be a mess for a bit longer

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/am ... nd-albany/

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 8:23 am It was and will be a mess for a bit longer

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/am ... nd-albany/

Aw hell. I hope this doesn't extend out to the end of the month. I'm on 49 from NYP on the 29th with another friend (not the Boston friend). Hope that they can get the garage fixed so the tracks are safe to work on or reinstate the NY Grand Central Terminal endpoint (NYG).

Update on the Empire route and LSL:

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/am ... on-harmom/

NEW YORK -- Amtrak service remained suspended between New York City and Albany on Monday.

Authorities said the problem, which started on Sunday, is all because of an unstable parking garage on West 51st Street in Hell's Kitchen.

It is a lose-lose situation for drivers who cannot get to their cars and train commuters who are now stranded.

The garage in question sits directly above the Amtrak tunnel, and CBS New York obtained pictures of the structural damage showing just how bad it is.

Through a hole in the parking garage at 524 W. 51st St., one can see train tracks below.

The Department of Buildings said an engineer contracted by the property owner called 911 on Friday. The DOB and Amtrak engineers then found two holes -- one on the entrance ramp and another on a ramp to the lower level.

...

Initially, the DOB determined trains could run normally as long as overhead protection was installed, but early Sunday morning Amtrak workers performing the installation found additional structural defects, including cracked and deteriorated steel beams.

The DOB said the structural defects do not affect any of the neighborhood buildings.

Okay, I'm now very worried about my trip to Chicago...

Here is the garage in question, it is part of a larger high rise (747 10th Avenue) built circa 1975 with 38 stories.

Amtrak currently has no estimate for time of return to service? Is it possible they will get a detour plan together with metro-north in the coming days to run in and out of Grand Central

Mr. Wolf, it appears from the website that there are still "five a day" to Albany that will originate at Harmon (49 is not one of them). Metro-North will honor Amtrak tickets from GCT, so you can get to your #49.

Now if you are traveling with your furry friends, there might be inconvenience "shepherding" them.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 7:50 pm Mr. Wolf, it appears from the website that there are still "five a day" to Albany that will originate at Harmon (49 is not one of them). Metro-North will honor Amtrak tickets from GCT, so you can get to your #49.

Now if you are traveling with your furry friends, there might be inconvenience "shepherding" them.

A few are Amtrak employees. I’m sure they’ll shepherd us.

robelybasis wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 7:41 pm Amtrak currently has no estimate for time of return to service? Is it possible they will get a detour plan together with metro-north in the coming days to run in and out of Grand Central

None. I think they’re waiting for the engineers to draft a plan of repair on the parking garage with a timeline and submit that to New York City.

west point wrote: ↑Mon Nov 13, 2023 11:04 pm Just another reason Amtrak should get rail rights and qualify crew from SD over MNRR and CSX route to the Hell Gate route into NYP. This will not be the last time that for some reason that the west side line is shut down for some reason. From SD on MNRR to about Yankee stadium, CSX track to Hell Gate route , then into NYP.

There's a problem. There's no southbound connection, and the nearest crossover is up in Pelham, half way up to New Rochelle. There needs a full interlock at the CSX yard to even consider such a thing, and there isn't!

Mr. Wolf, "once upon a time" there WAS an SW connection between the NYC Harlem Div & New Haven "West End" and the HGB line located about a half-mile East of the Harlem River X-ing. This enabled FDR, to expediently get from the HGB line without "doubling back" on the New Haven New Rochelle to Mott Haven and the NYC Hudson Div to Hyde Park (reportedly, FDR preferred the B&O/RDG/CNJ "Royal Blue" as they were more accommodating to his 45mph is fast enough "request". How he was interchanged from the CNJ to the NYC escapes me).

As a kid, I can recall seeing that noted SW connection, but I'm sure it has been chopped up today.

Are you thinking of the Port Morris branch in Mott Haven? That’s been disconnected for a while. It also connects to the Hell Gate line in the wrong direction.

Last time they ran the LSL to GCT because the Spuyten Dyvil bridge was undergoing maintenance they went via New Rochelle. I assume that they used a pilot between SD and New Rochelle and changed ends in the New Rochelle yard.

If this extends some time I could see the LD’s using same.

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Tue Nov 14, 2023 7:09 am Are you thinking of the Port Morris branch in Mott Haven? That’s been disconnected for a while. It also connects to the Hell Gate line in the wrong direction.

Last time they ran the LSL to GCT because the Spuyten Dyvil bridge was undergoing maintenance they went via New Rochelle. I assume that they used a pilot between SD and New Rochelle and changed ends in the New Rochelle yard.

If this extends some time I could see the LD’s using same.

According to the latest update from CBS New York this morning, the parking garage's engineer has submitted the repair plans and timeline to Department of Buildings. Repairs could start today... but no timeline of when they'll be complete. When I can see that is when I can relax.

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/amtrak-ser ... and-c.html

Amtrak Service Temporarily Suspended between New York City and Croton-Harmon
November 13, 2023 5:00 PM


Due to safety concerns stemming from structure issues of a non-Amtrak, privately owned building above the Empire Line tracks in New York City, Amtrak service is suspended between Croton-Harmon (CRT) and New York City (NYP). Passengers can travel on Metro North trains from Grand Central Terminal between NYP and CRT, where tickets will be cross-honored.

Additional schedule modifications include:
• Trains 233, 234, 235, 237 240, 241 244 and 280 are canceled
• Trains 49 and 69 will originate from Albany (ALB)
• Train 280 will only travel between Niagara Falls and ALB
• Trains 63, 64, 232, 236, 238, 239 243, 281, 283, 284 and 294 will originate or end in CRT


Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or another day. Amtrak will waive additional charges for customers looking to change their reservation during the modified schedule by calling our reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

I may have come across some photos of bigger issues than the hole where you can see the tracks that do not involve the parking garage, well one is the hole. Lets just say the others show issues that are going to take more than duct tape and bubble gum to fix. Could take a bit to fix and Thanksgiving is just around the corner kinda fitting.
Through my career something always happens around this holiday be it the derailing of a Burro crane in an interlocking or a well placed derailment just to name a few. Time to hire a Priest, a Rabbi, and just for good luck a witch doctor and have them walk the Hudson from Penn to Albany to get rid of the bad juju.