advertisement

---

Earlier this week, New York Gov. David Paterson, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman announced they reached a “general agreement on basic terms” for redeveloping New York City’s historic Farley Post Office into a train station. The parties plan to finalize an agreement and issue a memorandum of understanding in the coming weeks.

The facility would become Moynihan Station — named after late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan — and serve as the center for most of Amtrak’s New York City service. Amtrak would relocate from Pennsylvania Station, which is considered North America’s busiest rail station, to a new train hall to be constructed in the Farley Building.

“This mutual understanding … commits all of us to the long-range task of expanding rail and terminal capacity so that Amtrak and the regional commuter operators can collectively meet the growing needs for passenger train service in New York and throughout the Northeast,” said Boardman in a prepared statement

Meanwhile, Paterson also announced the state will provide $1.45 million in multi-modal transportation funding for two short-line projects.

The Arcade & Attica Railroad will obtain $1.3 million to relocate and reconstruct 2,200 feet of track, and build of a rail spur off a Norfolk Southern Railway line in Attica. The Rochester and Southern Railroad will receive $150,000 to replace nine bridge decks and rehabilitate 13 miles of track to support operations at an American Motive Power manufacturing facility.