Penn Station to shut down during GOP convention.

According to News Radio in New York this am, the Secret Service will close down all trains to or through NYP during the time G. W. Bush is at the convention. No LIRR, Amtrak or NJT trains will operate during that time. No mention yet of the 7th or 8th Ave subways that bracket MSG.

Nothing final has been decided yet.

The Secret Service wants everything shut down, Amtrak, LIRR, NJT, and Subways. They apparently have gotten this type of cooperation in Boston for the Democratic Convention.

The NYPD is pushing for more security for Penn Station and maybe having Subways run by skip any stops near Penn.

If the Secret Service had its way, they would shut everything down every time the President moves anywhere. That is their job, protect him at all costs. However, in reality, they will have to work out a plan that satisfies the President (who may not want the bad press of forcing thousands of commuters onto busses), the NYPD, the NY Mayors office, etc etc.

Well, that could be very interesting.........how long are we talking here, a few hours, a day????

What did they do a few years back, wasn't the Democratic convention at MSG in, maybe, 96? I know it was a much different time, but what did they do then?

they do that and next convention will be at Mohjave dessert.
or at Yuka Flats. the New York commuters would guaranteed all vote democrate after that :D :D

According to the Radio News report, the 'embargo' would only be during the hour or two the President was on-site to accept the nomination.

Yeah, but that hour would foul the schedule of every train for the rest of the day.

Slots people, slots.

A Newsday story today reports that Penn Station will remain open during the GOP convention. http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/man ... -headlines

In New York, the GOP convention will be held from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 at Madison Square Garden. Penn Station, which is connected to MSG and is the biggest commuter rail station in the country, is scheduled to remain open, as are major highways.

Kevin Sheekey, president of the city's host committee for the Republican convention, said the restrictions are not necessary.

Even if Penn Station were closed during the President's acceptance speech, most likely this would occur in the evening hours, 10 - 11 pm EDT, which is well after the PM rush and leaves ample time to recover for the AM rush.

As I noted over at the Amtrak and Politics Topic, North Station in Boston will be shut down during the Democratic Convention. If Penn is not shut down during The Republican, then someone will start hollering favoritism.

It is just a sign of the times.

Of couse I'm the only guy out there wondering why it is even necessary to have these conventions at all. The last time anything of substance (such as who would be the nominee) was decided at a Convention was the Republican during 1952.

Just give each party twelve hours of free air time to use as they please, then everyone can stay safe at home and not disrupt the lives of God knows how many.

Actually the GOP convention in 1980 was 'down to the wire' between Reagan and Bush IIRC? (or was that Ford/Reagan in 1976?)

As far as embargoing NYP is concerned, I agree, better safe than sorry, for a few hours at least after rush hour. But if the SS wants to tie it up all day, that would bring New Yorkers to the barricades, for sure!!!

Just skirmishes, Mr. Morrs, when compared with the 1952 GOP that was essentially deadlocked between Ike and Taft. On the second ballot, the Texas delegation changed their vote giving the nomination to Ike.

Of course, that was all fair and square; just like it was to have UNOHOO @ 1600.

Another skirmish I can recall was at 1968 GOP, when the Rockefeller people thought debate was closed before they thought it should be closed.

That would create a giant nightmare. A much bigger nightmare than commuters out of Boston north station. What was the number of people that pass through NYP in a 24hr period?

Gilbert B Norman wrote:As I noted over at the Amtrak and Politics Topic, North Station in Boston will be shut down during the Democratic Convention. If Penn is not shut down during The Republican, then someone will start hollering favoritism.

BON is scheduled to be closed beginning the Friday before the convention until the convention is over. Commuter Rail and Amtrak trains will make their final stops at outlying stations for transfer to shuttle buses to take commuters the rest of the way into tow. In addition to that, the I-93 tunnel (aka the big dig) is scheduled to close to all but MBTA buses in the evenings while the convention is underway. I can't imagine the chaos that will be, it will be quite interesting to see. As one who plans to be on the floor of that convention at some point, I guess I can't blame them for erring for the sake of saftey.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: Of couse I'm the only guy out there wondering why it is even necessary to have these conventions at all. The last time anything of substance (such as who would be the nominee) was decided at a Convention was the Republican during 1952.

Just give each party twelve hours of free air time to use as they please, then everyone can stay safe at home and not disrupt the lives of God knows how many.

--- AND---- shorten the campaign to 6 weeks beginning in September.

"The Secret Service wants everything shut down, Amtrak, LIRR, NJT, and Subways. They apparently have gotten this type of cooperation in Boston for the Democratic Convention."

Uh, I'm not sure "cooperation" is quite the right word... the way it's been reported up here, it's more like the Secret Service demanded the closures and the MBTA and Mass Highway weren't given any choice in the matter. The shutdown of North Station, the Orange Line subway, and I-93 will creat utter transportation chaos, all for the sake of some politicians staging a photo opportunity. If they really cared about the voters, they'd move the convention to the new South Boston Convention Center (as suggested by Governor Romney), which would cause minimal transit and traffic disruption.

Mr. Norman is correct -- these nominating conventions long ago outlived their purpose, and now merely serve as a potential target for terrorists. The mess in Boston will be small compared with what happens in New York if the Republicans shut down Penn Station.

Good point about moving the convention to another site in Boston.

Same can be said for NYC - why not use the Javits Centre???? It's just asking for trouble bringing Bush to NYP.