Amtrak announces summer service changes

Amtrak announced yesterday preliminary schedule changes related to its track and switch renewal projects at New York City's Penn Station this summer.

The railroad's service adjustments to its weekday schedule will be in effect July 10 through Sept. 1.

Amtrak officials decided to speed up previously planned projects to improve conditions and service reliability at the station following two derailments earlier this year.

"While we regret that this work requires some reduction in train service and disruption to passengers over the summer months, we believe it will ultimately be worth the investment in terms of increased reliability of passenger rail travel," said Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Wick Moorman in a press release.

Of the three railroads that serve Penn Station, Amtrak service will be affected the most, Moorman said. However, Amtrak will "use all the tools we can, such as lengthening trains, to continue to provide capacity for our intercity travelers going to or from New York."

The weekday schedule changes announced yesterday affect:
• Northeast Regional service. Three round trip trains (six total trains) between New York City and Washington, D.C., are canceled. Service between New York City and Boston will operate at currently scheduled levels.
• Keystone service. Three round trip trains (six total trains) will start and end in Philadelphia, and one round trip train (two total trains) will start and end at Newark, N.J. Service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa., will operate at currently scheduled levels.
• Long-distance service. The Crescent, operating between New York City and New Orleans, will originate and terminate in Washington, D.C., daily during work period. Connections will be provided on other Northeast Corridor trains.

There will be no schedule changes for Acela Express service. Empire service changes will be announced "shortly," Amtrak officials said.

Amtrak's reservation systems have been updated to reflect the service changes. The railroad will post information related to the Penn Station project here.