Amtrak reduces trains from NYC to Albany for tunnel repairs

Amtrak is reducing its daily Empire Service between Albany and Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station to repair two East River tunnels, damaged 12 years ago by Superstorm Sandy.

Work started Monday closing the first of the two tunnels, which also redirected some LIRR trains from Penn Station to Grand Central Madison. The $1.6 billion project is fixing two of four tubes that sustained major flood damage following Sandy. During construction, one tube will be closed at a time, which Amtrak officials said will limit service disruptions and improve the tunnel’s infrastructure for 100 years.

Amtrak officials said the work required the cancellation of two of the usual 10 daily trips between Manhattan and Albany. The work is expected to last about three years, Amtrak officials said.

The Empire Service train schedules may adjust up to 30 minutes earlier and 10 minutes later, according to Amtrak. The Adirondack and Maple Leaf trains will combine into one train between New York City and Albany.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday urged Amtrak to restore the service between Manhattan and the Hudson Valley. She sent a letter to Amtrak executives supporting repairs but asking to explore alternatives to cutting routes, which she said serve 2 million people annually.

Hochul and the state Department of Transportation recommended running trains through Grand Central or expanding existing Empire Service trains to six cars.

"Empire Service trains are receiving a disproportionate share of impacts to schedules and it is critical that you maximally restore service and protect New York’s riding public while the project progresses," Hochul wrote. "I urge you to consider these measures, or other viable alternatives presented by numerous stakeholders, and find a solution that immediately mitigates the impacts to this line, fully restores service and supports the millions of riders who depend on this critical mode of transportation."

Amtrak officials in a statement Wednesday said they would explore any alternative "that is feasible and logistically possible" and noted  they would restore service when possible.

"The tunnel work, which is an essential major infrastructure improvement project, will improve travel and reliability of train service both within New York State and throughout the Northeast Corridor," Amtrak officials said. "While we regret having to cancel three daily trains, which comprise 7% of overall Empire Service ridership, this was the most practical and least disruptive option for our customers, which also allowed for the highest amount of preservation of current service."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.