The East Side Access Project Discussion (ESA)

jlr3266 wrote:TESS has just completed it's first tunnel drive today. Molina should be done with the Yard Lead drive in January.

The one next to the Sunnyside Yard lead tracks?

That is it. The machine will be disassembled for transport back to the launch area, while the trailing gear is brought back through the completed tunnel. Then all put back together for the D tunnel drive.

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Metro North forum, but this ran across my mind. When the project is finally completed, will the concourse be own it's entity? Say for instance, will there be a departure board on the main level for LIRR departures? or will those type of logistical things be run completely separate from the operation above and anything pertaining to LIRR trips will be announced on their own level?

As far as I have seen, the LIRR will be a completely separate station.

it will be, only acces from current GCT to ESA station will be a set of escalators from lower level dining court to the ESA ticket/station area.

The lower level is going to be like bumper cars, but with people.

I take the LIRR into Penn only sporadically nowadays, and this weekend was one of those times.
As over the past few years, the visible progress on ESA as you pass Yard A/Sunnyside seems almost ad-hoc and random - a new retaining wall here, one bridge abutment here, some grading here and there, every so often a new foundation pillar for (I suppose) catenary structures. Any one know of a site which explains what all these pieces and odifications and structures mean, how their construction is being scheduled, and how they all tie into the future this: .
There's construction images here, but I'm looking for more detailed diagrams and maps.

Most of the work you see is the support work needed just to maintain and relocate tracks as needed to pop up three holes in the middle of the mainline in Harold. It is extremely piecemeal work because it is done without resceheduling service. The weekend outages are far and scarce. The Track A tunnel drive is complete. The Yard Lead tunnel should be complete next month. The remaining two tunnel drives will be completed later this year.

LIRR put up a video and some images:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJsp63w4 ... e=youtu.be

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 090&type=1

The completion date of the project was pushed back last Fall from late 2016 to early 2018. Now MTA engineers say the project might be completed as early as June 2016.

[T]wo years may be shaved off part of the project thanks to a new contract and schedule with Dragados, the company excavating the tunnels for the new rail line.

See news link below

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/01/26/ ... timetable/

Thanks Tommy. Found more of the same:

Brief, fair-use excerpts:

MTA Shakes Up East Side Work

WSJ wrote:The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has reshuffled its attack plan for the East Side Access tunnel—including stripping the largest contractor of some work—in an effort to speed up the much-delayed megaproject.

The move is expected to shave two years off the excavation deep beneath Grand Central Terminal, a key element of the largest infrastructure project in MTA history.

...

The company will finish excavating the caverns but turn over responsibility for installing concrete linings in them to a new contractor. That contract has recently been put out to bid, Mr. Horodniceanu said.

The MTA will receive a credit on its agreement with Dragados of roughly $17 million, officials said. Its contract was valued at $1.2 billion.

...

The trade-off also includes a newly restructured system of incentives and penalties for Dragados. The company could now be docked for as much as $49.5 million for future delays on its outstanding work, but could reap as much as $16 million in incentives if it finishes before its new projected completion date of August 2013.

Two years shaved off PARTS of the Project. 2016 will never happen.

The MTA today posted a whole bunch of new pictures on how the ESA project is moving along.

You can find them here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjyuABaR

The Yard Lead Tunnel is now complete. The TBM should be extracted in the next week or two to be sent back for the final tunnel.

MTACC keeps a relatively frequent photo update on flickr. There is usually a weekly to monthly update.

Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtacc-esa/

D. Small