Structural problems at a parking garage in New York City have created a commuter headache for Amtrak passengers traveling between the Big Apple and Albany.
Service was disrupted on Sunday afternoon after officials discovered a number of “structural issues” at the garage on 10th Avenue in Manhattan. Amtrak’s Empire Line, it turns out, runs underneath the garage.
The service suspension continued into Monday
The garage’s owner contacted an engineer on Friday about a hole in the entrance ramp of the parking garage, a Department of Buildings spokesperson told News 4. Officials from the DOB, FDNY and NYCEM were subsequently brought to the scene to inspect the issue.
DOB officials issued a vacate order of the garage and Amtrak planned to install “overhead protection” above the tracks below to keep operations running normally. That only lasted until Sunday.
By that morning, installers alerted DOB to more structural defects in steel beams. The additional cracks and deterioration discovered on Sunday proved to great a safety concern and prompted a suspension of the Empire Line between New York City and Albany.
Amtrak released the following updates to its schedule:
- Trains 233, 234, 235, 237, 240, 241, 244 and 280 are cancelled
- Trains 49 and 69 will now originate at Albany/ALB
- Trains 63, 64, 232, 236, 238, 239, 243, 281, 283, 284, 294 will originate or end in Croton-Harmon (CRT)
Travelers impacted by Sunday’s suspension have the option to use their tickets on Metro-North between Croton-Harmon and NYP.
Passengers can call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL for help with their ticket. Amtrak said change and cancelation fees will be waived for travelers whose trip has been impacted by the suspension.
Mayor Eric Adams posted on X, formerly Twitter, “As soon as the city became aware of the issue, @NYC_Buildings engineers quickly began assessing the situation, working with Amtrak teams and other city agencies to ensure the safety of passengers and pedestrians. Emergency work orders were quickly issued so the parking garage owners could begin addressing the issue.”
The MTA said the Hudson Line of Metro-North was not being impacted by the ongoing issues. As of Monday morning, it remained unclear how long the suspension would last.
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