Amtrak lawsuit alleges MTA's Metro-North blocks Amtrak trains from using its tracks

Amtrak has sued Metro-North, alleging the MTA-operated railroad has blocked Amtrak trains from using its tracks.

In a statement on Thursday, Amtrak said Metro-North had "refused to allow necessary Amtrak non‑revenue trains to operate on its railroad for more than two months."

The lawsuit comes as Amtrak and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority feud over an MTA plan to link Metro-North to Penn Station, which is owned and maintained by Amtrak, and build three new railroad stations in the Bronx.

The MTA has blamed Amtrak for the $2.9 billion "Penn Station Access" project running at least three years late, saying Amtrak has failed to deliver on its promised level of cooperation in the megaproject.

Although the trains being blocked by Metro-North do not carry passengers, Amtrak officials said they included those used to conduct federally mandated infrastructure safety tests. The lawsuit asks for a court order to force Metro-North to allow Amtrak trains to run on its tracks.

"Their actions are violating agreements we’ve had in place for more than 35 years, causing escalating harm to Amtrak’s operations, undermining safety‑critical rail activity, disrupting service needed by millions of passengers, and putting the reliability of intercity rail service at risk," Amtrak said in a statement.

Asked to comment on the lawsuit, MTA external relations chief John McCarthy, in a statement, spoke about the potential for the Penn Station Access project to "improve lives for people living in the Bronx."

Amtrak and the MTA have repeatedly clashed in recent years, including because of Amtrak’s decision to take one of the East River Tunnels out of service for at least three years for repairs — hampering the Long Island Rail Road’s ability to run trains to and from Penn. Amtrak also has teamed with the Trump administration to take over a plan to redevelop Penn Station that was previously headed by the MTA.

"It’s not clear who in the federal government is directing Amtrak’s lawyers to create distractions from the real issue — getting Bronxites the service they deserve," McCarthy said.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.