Latest Penn Station effort has familiar face aboard
Amtrak officials want a shovel in the ground by the end of next year for the renovation of Penn Station. Will it really get done this time? Credit: Ed Quinn
As the busiest transit hub in the nation and a crucial economic centerpiece, Penn Station pulses with activity at all hours, as about 600,000 riders move through its dark, dingy halls each day.
The building has been the subject of decades of very public and so far unsuccessful campaigns to renovate it.
But the latest attempt to reimagine a space where a Beaux-Arts treasure once stood remains a remarkably quiet and private affair, even as three finalists prepare responses to a request for proposals by Amtrak, which owns the facility.
It's the latest step as the national passenger rail system attempts to accomplish what generations of elected officials, rail executives and advocates have failed to do: transform the station into a modern, bright, safe and accessible one-level facility.
It's undoubtedly easier said than done.
Behind it all is a familiar face: Andy Byford, the onetime popular New York City Transit chief, who now leads Amtrak's Penn effort. Known to New Yorkers as "Train Daddy," the affable, hands-on and savvy Byford often stood in the spotlight. His big personality and struggle for power clashed with former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, leading to Byford's eventual resignation.
"I'm back. I'm very, very happy to be back and I'm honored to do it," Byford said in an interview.
Byford and his team will bring their choice of master developer to the Amtrak board for approval in May. Then Byford will need a final OK from President Donald Trump.
Amtrak officials want a shovel in the ground by the end of 2027. Their plans could complement the railroad complex's better parts, including the new Moynihan Train Hall and upgraded Long Island Rail Road concourse, which officials say won't be adversely impacted. But Byford recognizes the newest effort is complicated by a tight timetable, the complexity of reaching consensus among influential participants, and the need to renovate while the station remains operational.
"Those three challenges are not lost on me but I like the challenge," Byford said.
But that's not all. With Trump in the driver's seat, the project will face political headwinds. Democratic Govs. Kathy Hochul and Mikie Sherrill, and their agencies — the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New Jersey Transit — play key roles. Penn renovations won't succeed without them.
Then there's the money. Previously priced at $7 billion, it's likely more expensive now. Any necessary public funds might be a tough ask. But just this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced $4.7 billion in Northeast Corridor funding. That could help.
For now, there's much we don't know. Usually, a public procurement process is, well, public. This time, Amtrak did not release key documents and details, including the RFP itself. Byford said that's due to "commercial sensitivities."
That's a strange argument, since there are always "commercial sensitivities," otherwise known as competitiveness. Nonetheless, Byford promises it'll change after choosing a master developer.
"I absolutely intend to be very visible, very transparent," Byford said. "We want [the public] to feel like they've got skin in the game."
Questions remain about potentially increasing the numbers of trains and tracks, the future of Madison Square Garden and the winning plan's design. Also still to be determined: whether a large gold-plated Trump Station sign will grace the entranceway.
The biggest question, from many who've been down the track of big promises and big ideas before, is simpler: Will it really get done?
Ultimately, that may come down to the unusual duo of Byford and Trump. Byford certainly believes. Penn's future may depend on whether Byford can keep his promises and coax everyone else to join him for the ride, even when Trump is at the wheel.
Columnist Randi F. Marshall's opinions are her own.
Randi Marshall is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
