On The Way: More trains at Penn Station

Amtrak’s plan to reconstruct Penn Station could increase rush hour service between New Jersey and Midtown by 33% without expanding the train hub’s footprint, according to a preliminary study released by the Trump administration on Wednesday.

The report, published by the Federal Railway Administration, lays out how the inefficient turnover of trains at the station’s cramped platforms strains service. By extending some of the platforms and adding additional stairways, escalators and entrances, the study found trains could spend less time deboarding and boarding, which would increase throughput.

The study also marks the first time the federal government has outlined how trains could “through-run” at Penn Station. The idea, long-sought by transit planners, would have NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road trains continue their journeys on each other’s territories. The concept could help boost efficiency at the station, but the report says doing so would require the construction of a “super-wide platform” and the removal of two tracks.

The study says fixes to the station’s interlockings, which direct trains into its 21 tracks, and “operational discipline” could further boost service.

In total, the report found the changes could allow Penn to handle 32 trains each hour from New Jersey in the morning rush and 30 per hour in the evening rush, up from the current rate of 24 per hour.

The study comes at a crucial point for the future of Penn Station. President Donald Trump took control of the station’s rebuild from the MTA last year, and last month the feds announced they selected a design and “master developer” for the project.