Three days before America's busiest train station what will be two long months of repair work, dubbed "the summer of hell," the third derailment this year occurred, delaying most Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains.
"None of the 180 passengers and crew members aboard the New Jersey Transit train that came off the tracks was injured, but the derailment underscored how hazardous the condition of the tracks there has become," report Patrick McGeehan and Elizabeth Tarbell for The New York Times.
The derailment occurred at a section where trains entering the station from a tunnel under the Hudson River are switched onto one of the 21 tracks leading to platforms beneath Penn Station’s main concourse. Officials of Amtrak, which owns and operates the station, have admitted that the junction, which is known as an interlocking, is long overdue for an overhaul.
A CBS This Morning 3:47-minute news video on the summer repair work at Penn Station includes narration by CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave and Amtrak CEO Wick Moorman.
Moorman will stay on the job through the end of the year. On Wednesday, "Richard Anderson, who spearheaded Delta's growth into the world's largest airline by market value when he retired as chief executive in May 2016, will become president and co-CEO," according to Reuters.
McGeehan and Sarah Maslin Nir report on July 10 after the morning rush hour that "the first day of track closings and disruptions at New York’s Pennsylvania Station unfolded relatively smoothly on Monday, as riders detoured onto buses, ferries and subways."
The eight weeks of intensive repairs will reduce the station’s capacity during the morning and evening rush hours by more than 20 percent. The reduction forced Amtrak and the two commuter railroads that use Penn Station — the Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit — to revise their schedules.
The July 6 derailment follows an April 3 NJ Transit derailment in the station and a minor Amtrak Acela derailment on March 24. Both were determined to be caused by track defects, emphasizing the need for the repair work.
FULL STORY: Penn Station Derailment Gives Stark Proof of Tracks’ Disrepair
Formidable Barriers Threaten Penn Station Renovation
Last month N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed that Empire Station replace Penn Station, but many challenging parts, e.g., the Hudson River Tunnels, moving Madison Square Garden, could derail it. A related piece delves into the prior ARC tunnel project.
Before There Were Airlines...
Temporary suspension of rail service from New York City to Chicago prompts an engaging column, particularly for train buffs, on a bygone era when travel by rail was glamorous.
In New York's Next Penn Station, Function Does Not Always Follow Form
Some of the time and money invested in the visually spectacular Moynihan Station should have been spent looking at how well it actually works for commuters, writes Alon Levy.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Vehicle-related Deaths Drop 29% in Richmond, VA
The seventh year of the city's Vision Zero strategy also cut the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes by half.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)