Trump puts NYC 'Train Daddy' Andy Byford in charge of Penn Station rebuild

WNYC News | May 23, 2025

Former NYC Transit President Andy Byford has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the long-stalled redevelopment of Penn Station, White House officials confirmed on Friday.

The project will put Byford at the center of one of the most high-profile construction projects in the country. MTA Chair Janno Lieber had previously planned to run the overhaul of the station, which is owned by Amtrak. But he was kicked off the project last month by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who said Amtrak would take control of the work.

Byford has worked for Amtrak since 2023, leading the agency’s push to build high speed rail networks — an initiative that has been partially defunded by the Trump administration. West Side Spirit, which broke the news Friday, reported Byford and Trump met Thursday at the White House.

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