The East Side Access Project Discussion (ESA)

Just finished reading the story in the March Trains about ESA. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's the best compilation of text, maps, photos, and drawings on the whole project (at least available to the general public, which is all I see) that I've found. There's also an informative story on Metra which, among other things, has a comparative chart of all major commuter operations in the U. S., showing total route mileage, number of stations, and annual passenger count.

ExCon90 wrote:Just finished reading the story in the March Trains about ESA. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's the best compilation of text, maps, photos, and drawings on the whole project (at least available to the general public, which is all I see) that I've found. There's also an informative story on Metra which, among other things, has a comparative chart of all major commuter operations in the U. S., showing total route mileage, number of stations, and annual passenger count.

Thanks for the update will have to check out that article.

Last Press release.

East Side Access for Long Island commuters is moving another step ahead. The MTA has awarded a contract to GCT Constructors, JV, a joint venture consisting of Schiavone Construction Co. and John P. Picone Inc., to build the future Long Island Rail Road concourse at Grand Central Terminal. The $404.8 million dollar contract, which with options could increase to a total of $428.9 million, was awarded after a competitive request for proposal process that drew nine other firms.

Funding for this Contract will come from a Federal Grant through the Federal Transit Administration and MTA local funds.

Under the contract, workers will build the architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical facilities, escalators and elevators, that will comprise the future LIRR 375,000 square-foot passenger train concourse and related ventilation plants at 44th and 50th Streets.

http://www.mta.info/news-east-side-acce ... mta-awards" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The East Side Access project will bring trains from all 11 branches of the Long Island Rail Road into a new terminal being built beneath Grand Central Terminal. The new connection will increase the LIRR’s capacity into Manhattan, and dramatically shorten travel time for Long Island and eastern Queens commuters traveling to the east side of Manhattan. It will also provide easier access to JFK airport from Grand Central Terminal by bringing customers to Jamaica Station, where they can transfer to the AirTrain.

This could technically be true if we see service from East Williston to GCT, and if the Babylon Branch is included with the Montauk Branch, but this phrase is still awfully misleading to the average reader considering that there will be no diesel service to GCT.

This could technically be true if we see service from East Williston to GCT, and if the Babylon Branch is included with the Montauk Branch,

Included with......?
I thought the so called 'Babylon' branch is actually The Montauk Branch?
Vince

Riverduckexpress wrote:This could technically be true if we see service from East Williston to GCT, and if the Babylon Branch is included with the Montauk Branch, but this phrase is still awfully misleading to the average reader considering that there will be no diesel service to GCT.

Isn't the Oyster Bay Branch being floated around to become a shuttle to/from Mineola at some point in the future with lack of additional capacity (i.e. the 3rd track)?

With the MTA's proposal to possibly extend electrification to up to 16 more stations in Suffolk Co. in the distant future (2030-2040?) that could result in the 3rd rail reaching either Patchogue or Speonk so in the long run GCT-Montauk Branch service isn't out of the question.

NH2060 wrote:Isn't the Oyster Bay Branch being floated around to become a shuttle to/from Mineola at some point in the future with lack of additional capacity (i.e. the 3rd track)?

No, that's off the table: http://www.longislandassociation.org/as ... future.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He is right about one thing, the Rite of Way is messy and does need to be cleaned up.

A PPV article on Newsday recently about the 3rd track for the mainline said that it won't be built unless all the towns along the ROW are on board.

East Side Access- Quarterly Report 2014 Q4.pdf

Since the Q1 progress report, these are all done:

• CM004 -- 44th St. ventilation system.
• CM013 -- 50th St. ventilation system.

These are still being worked on:

• CM005 -- "Manhattan South Structures". The tunnel and cavern linings and station platforms. A bit ahead of its current schedule. Critical path. Mid 2016.
• CM006 -- "Manhattan North Structures". The tunnels to the East River tunnel. Early 2017.
• CM013A -- 55th St. ventilation system. Mid 2015.
• CM014A -- South station concourse, at least the lower part. Mid 2015.
• VM014 -- Escalators and elevators -- in early stages of construction of 45 escalators and 17 elevators, with options for 2 and 5 more, respectively. 2019.
• CQ032 -- The Queens part of the tunnel. Near-critical. Mid 2016.
• CH053 -- Harold Interlocking Part 1. Mid 2015.
• CH054A -- Harold Interlocking Part 2A. Mid 2015.
• FHA01 -- HI work on Amtrak parts. Early 2016.
• FHA02 -- HI work on Amtrak parts. Near-critical. Late 2017.
• FHL01 -- HI work on LIRR parts. Late 2015.
• FHL02 -- HI work on LIRR parts. Near-critical. Early 2018.
• VH051 Pt 1 -- HI Central Instrument Locations. Mid 2015.
• VH051 Pt 2 -- HI Supervisory Control System. Mid 2015.
• CH057C, FHA057C, FHL057C -- HI structures: 48th-St. Bridge, Early 2016.
• FHA03 -- HI work on Amtrak parts. Early 2019.
• FHL03 -- HI work on LIRR parts. Late 2018.
• CS179 -- "Facilities Systems". Critical path. 2020.
• CS084 -- "Traction Power Systems". 2019.

So the Harold Interlocking parts have continued to slip behind schedule.

The remaining contracts:

• CM007 -- "GCT Caverns". Presumably work on the concourse and/or the station platforms. Late 2015 - late 2019.
• CM014B -- "North Concourse". Like the south one. Early 2015 - late 2018.
• CM015, CM015A -- "48th St. Entrance". Mid 2015 - mid 2018.
• CQ033 -- Midday Storage Yard. Mid 2015 - mid 2019.
• CH057 -- HI structures. Mid 2015 - late 2017.
• CH058 -- HI structures. Late 2015 - early 2019.
• FHA04 -- HI Amtrak parts. Early 2015 - early 2019.
• FHL04 -- HI LIRR parts. Mid 2015 - early 2019.
• CS284 -- "Tunnel Systems Cosntruction". Mid 2015 - mid 2019.
• Start-Up / Testing / Commissioning / Revenue Service -- Begin LIRR Revenue Service to GCT -- Late 2021.

Looks like most of the remaining contracts will be let by the end of this year.

Any update on who will control the new East Side access connection whether it be Jamaica control center, Penn station control center or a newly built ops center?

ESA is still connecting to PSCC for control.

Latest ESA pictures : https://www.flickr.com/photos/mtaphotos ... 380394674/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The old thread eroded out. Welcome to the new thread.

Here's a link to the old
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... 63&t=69427" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'll "Kick it Off" with this: http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/licity/licity2.htm




Sunnyside Yard 2003-2010 photos

View from the 7 train of Yard A. The PRR service buildings are long gone. 03/25/10 Photo: Bernie Ente

Perhaps folks can photo document this from April, 2010 forward as of the last photo from Bernie Ente.

Whoever thinks this will be complete by December 2022, please raise your hand

http://web.mta.info/capital/esa_alt.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;