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Amtrak Reopens East River Tunnel Line Damaged by Superstorm Sandy
The year-long overhaul restored a tunnel carrying more than 450 daily trains and modernized systems to improve reliability and safety, Amtrak said.
- On Monday, Amtrak reopened the East River Tunnel Line 2 after a 15-month, $1.6 billion rehabilitation project. The 116-year-old tube, damaged by Superstorm Sandy, now features modernized tracks, drainage, and power systems.
- Superstorm Sandy inundated the tunnel in 2012 with millions of gallons of floodwater, leaving corrosive salt residue that damaged infrastructure. Amtrak determined a full closure was necessary to demolish 24,000 feet of bench wall and rebuild to modern safety codes.
- MTA Chair Janno Lieber criticized the full shutdown, which reduced peak Long Island Rail Road service by 20%, arguing Amtrak should have worked nights and weekends. Amtrak Vice President Warren LeBeau contended the project was 'unbuildable' on that schedule.
- Passenger service returned Sunday evening to the upgraded tunnel, which carries more than 450 daily Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit trains. Federal grants from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package provided about $1.3 billion of the total project cost.
- Repair work on Line 1, the second damaged tunnel, will start this fall and is expected to wrap up by the end of 2027. Amtrak officials say lessons learned during the first phase will help streamline the next rehabilitation cycle.
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MTA boss slams Amtrak over its East River Tunnel project he says snarled LIRR service as first phase of work is completed
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber congratulated Amtrak on completing the first half of its project to overhaul two tubes of the East River Tunnel (ERT) on Monday, but not before publicly laying into the agency over how the undertaking hindered Long Island Rail Road service during the past year. Lieber, speaking at an Amtrak...
·New York, United States
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Amtrak wraps first part of East River tunnel rehab, MTA says work strained LIRR service
Amtrak fully rebuilt one of its East River tunnels that was literally crumbling after suffering damage in 2012 from Hurricane Sandy. The national railroad fully closed one of four rail tunnels between Penn Station and Queens last year. [ more › ]
·New York, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center6Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 33%
C 67%
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