Acela & Amtrak NEC (HSR BOS-NYP-WAS and branches only)

[Stlin]

NYC and NY State recently announced that they're moving forward with a new designs for Penn Station, one that is decoupled from both the controversial office tower elements and I believe leaves MSG more or less alone.

The preliminary design released by MTA is by John McAslan, who did the Sydney Central renovation design and the really quite nice Kings Cross Western concourse.

However, because this is New York, there is already a competing design, this one by ASTM HOK, and PAU (HOK being the folks behind LGA T2) - this one is evidently violently opposed by the MTA but supported by other interests, apparently crucially including MSG.
The key difference, this plan involves buying out and demolishing the Hulu Theatre to open up the "grand entrance" effect, and will apparently be cheaper. Frankly, give me the timeless simple interior of this one as it feels like it'd work better with Moynihan and the exterior of the MTA proposal and I'd be a happy camper.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

It's terrifying to think what this will all cost to build at superlatively insane NYC transit construction costs.

 

[bakgwailo]

So this means they are going to forgo razing the blocks around MSG? If so, great news. My old apartment, and more importantly, NY Pizza Suprema will stick around for a bit longer.

 

[ritchiew]

So this means they are going to forgo razing the blocks around MSG? If so, great news. My old apartment, and more importantly, NY Pizza Suprema will stick around for a bit longer.

These plans seem unconnected to whether or nor they raze the blocks around MSG. Those demolition plans would be for adding tracks and platforms underground. The new plans here are just for building new train halls and pedestrian space above all of the tracks.

Either way, your pizza place seems safe for now

 

[The EGE]

View attachment 39684

What in the midcentury brutalism...

 

[stick n move]

NYC and NY State recently announced that they're moving forward with a new designs for Penn Station, one that is decoupled from both the controversial office tower elements and I believe leaves MSG more or less alone.

The preliminary design released by MTA is by John McAslan, who did the Sydney Central renovation design and the really quite nice Kings Cross Western concourse.
View attachment 39667View attachment 39668View attachment 39669View attachment 39670View attachment 39671

However, because this is New York, there is already a competing design, this one by ASTM HOK, and PAU (HOK being the folks behind LGA T2) - this one is evidently violently opposed by the MTA but supported by other interests, apparently crucially including MSG.
The key difference, this plan involves buying out and demolishing the Hulu Theatre to open up the "grand entrance" effect, and will apparently be cheaper. Frankly, give me the timeless simple interior of this one as it feels like it'd work better with Moynihan and the exterior of the MTA proposal and I'd be a happy camper.
View attachment 39684View attachment 39685View attachment 39686View attachment 39687View attachment 39688
View attachment 39689

I definitely think the second option is a much more elegant design. The first one is such a clashing mishmash of unconnected ideas its painful to look at. In the second version the interior flows much better as well. If its cheaper too then it should be a no brainer imo.

 

[Stlin]

What in the midcentury brutalism...

It's not concrete, it's limestone, therefore complementary to the Farley and thus not brutalist!

(- The architects probably)

 

[king_vibe]

They're leaving 2 Penn Plaza and MSG, a toilet bowl of an arena, in place (continuing to coddle MSG's mentally ill Republican megadonor owner who keeps using facial recognition technology to ban children from his venues). The consequence is that any Penn Station "improvement" will have the exact same ratlike dimensions that it has today. All of the above light and airy renderings depict the few slivers of sky that are available (at 8th Avenue and between MSG and 2 Penn) and then crank the brightness up to 100. There are no renderings of the four foot ceilings which will still dominate the majority of the station.

 

[Justbuildit]

I prefer a wholesale replacement but looking at those renderings it seems like they’re eliminating a whole floor (Level B) to make some of the passageways double height. Getting rid of the theater (who even knew that was there?!) will make the entrance from 8th better than the sewer drain it is now. Far from perfect but 12-15 foot walkways where it’s currently like 6.5 feet would be a huge upgrade.

Dolan is an absolute scumbag and I hope he loses the team somehow, but this seems like a compromise.

 

[king_vibe]

I prefer a wholesale replacement but looking at those renderings it seems like they’re eliminating a whole floor (Level B) to make some of the passageways double height. Getting rid of the theater (who even knew that was there?!) will make the entrance from 8th better than the sewer drain it is now. Far from perfect but 12-15 foot walkways where it’s currently like 6.5 feet would be a huge upgrade.

Dolan is an absolute scumbag and I hope he loses the team somehow, but this seems like a compromise.

No - the plan that removes Level B and the Hulu Theater is the ASTM plan which is DOA.

 

[stick n move]

No - the plan that removes Level B and the Hulu Theater is the ASTM plan which is DOA.

Zoomed in on the images posted above.

 

[Highwayguy]

Dolan is an absolute scumbag and I hope he loses the team somehow, but this seems like a compromise.

 

[king_vibe]

Zoomed in on the images posted above.
View attachment 39738
View attachment 39740

The image you’re posting is from ASTM, the group that is not doing this project.

 

[The EGE]

Amtrak Introduces New Round Trip Bus Service for New Bedford and Worcester, Mass. Via Providence - Amtrak Media

Offering convenient thruway link for Amtrak customers to its national network PROVIDENCE – Amtrak announced today the launch of its latest connecting bus

media.amtrak.com

Three daily Worcester-Providence-New Bedford round trips on Amtrak Thruway, operated by DATTCO. It's an interesting concept - hopefully it gets enough ridership to be worthwhile. You cannot book trips just on the bus, which is unfortunate. Peter Pan runs 3 daily Providence-New Bedford round trips, but only one of them connects to downtown Providence in addition to the poorly-located Peter Pan terminal. Peter Pan only runs one Providence-Worcester round trip.

 

[Nexis4jersey]

Amtrak Introduces New Round Trip Bus Service for New Bedford and Worcester, Mass. Via Providence - Amtrak Media

Offering convenient thruway link for Amtrak customers to its national network PROVIDENCE – Amtrak announced today the launch of its latest connecting bus

media.amtrak.com

Three daily Worcester-Providence-New Bedford round trips on Amtrak Thruway, operated by DATTCO. It's an interesting concept - hopefully it gets enough ridership to be worthwhile. You cannot book trips just on the bus, which is unfortunate. Peter Pan runs 3 daily Providence-New Bedford round trips, but only one of them connects to downtown Providence in addition to the poorly-located Peter Pan terminal. Peter Pan only runs one Providence-Worcester round trip.

That should be separate rail services , Woonsocket line - 6x daily and Providence - Fall River & New Bedford services - 2-3x daily each...

 

[Jahvon09]

NYC and NY State recently announced that they're moving forward with a new designs for Penn Station, one that is decoupled from both the controversial office tower elements and I believe leaves MSG more or less alone.

The preliminary design released by MTA is by John McAslan, who did the Sydney Central renovation design and the really quite nice Kings Cross Western concourse.
View attachment 39667View attachment 39668View attachment 39669View attachment 39670View attachment 39671

However, because this is New York, there is already a competing design, this one by ASTM HOK, and PAU (HOK being the folks behind LGA T2) - this one is evidently violently opposed by the MTA but supported by other interests, apparently crucially including MSG.
The key difference, this plan involves buying out and demolishing the Hulu Theatre to open up the "grand entrance" effect, and will apparently be cheaper. Frankly, give me the timeless simple interior of this one as it feels like it'd work better with Moynihan and the exterior of the MTA proposal and I'd be a happy camper.
View attachment 39684View attachment 39685View attachment 39686View attachment 39687View attachment 39688
View attachment 39689

Nice pics!!!!

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Rail News - OIG: Amtrak's new Acela trains further delayed due in part to defects. For Railroad Career Professionals

www.progressiverailroading.com

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General blasts the Acela 2 procurement for endless delays, defects, and cost overruns, warns that they need to get way better at project management if they're going to see both this and the Airo procurements through.

 

[Jahvon09]

Rail News - OIG: Amtrak's new Acela trains further delayed due in part to defects. For Railroad Career Professionals

www.progressiverailroading.com

Amtrak's Office of Inspector General blasts the Acela 2 procurement for endless delays, defects, and cost overruns, warns that they need to get way better at project management if they're going to see both this and the Airo procurements through.

This is begining to make me feel that all these new trains are about is for causing frigging delays!!!! One right after the other! It's already three years behind the start-up date. How much longer will this last?!!

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

First Airo pilot coach is finished, with new paint scheme:

 

[Stlin]

Here's the full list of NEC projects (PDF) from FRA that were awarded federal funding yesterday - given the awards are under a grant program specifically intended for Amtrak and the NEC, they're hardly surprises but it's good to see the federal dollars finally flowing.