Rails Across the Hudson, No. 186

Hagley Museum

Pennsylvania Station from the train-level platforms upon its opening in 1910.

Excerpts

For the last third of the nineteenth century, the railroads sought a way to cross the formidable Hudson River to reach Manhattan. Improved tunneling technology finally brought success in the first decade of the twentieth century, and trains of the Pennsylvania and Hudson & Manhattan railroads were operating from New Jersey into new Manhattan terminals by 1910.

Nearly a century later, steadily growing commuter traffic has brought these landmark tunnels to the limits of their capacity. Today engineers and planners are examining alternatives for a new Hudson River rail crossing, an effort given greater impetus after the September 11 terrorist attack.

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Port Authority of NY and NJ

Drawing of Journal Square, around 1912, after the H&M was opened.

At overcrowded Penn Station, NJ Transit’s post-September 11 rush-hour passenger count jumped from an average of less than 34,000 during the peak period to about 44,000.

William D. Middleton

The 1990s saw a sharp revival in traffic through the Hudson tunnels both on Amtrak and in Midtown Direct service begun by NJ Transit in 1996. Here Amtrak Metroliner No. 110 arrives at Penn Station from Washington, D.C., in June 1995.

Beginning last November, contractors working on the new East End Concourse were held back until 9 a.m. each morning so that already completed stairs and escalators could be temporarily put in service to help clear the platforms. Even when PATH service is back to normal, the trans- Hudson rail infrastructure will face some daunting challenges, particularly at Penn Station.

Signaling improvements and concourse expansion will have squeezed nearly all possible capacity out of the Penn Station tunnels and terminal, and more passengers are expected. Expanding Acela Express and Regional services are bringing steady growth to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor services.