121-603: The Gateway Program is a ongoing expansion and renovation of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line between Newark , New Jersey , and New York City along the right-of-way between Newark Penn Station and New York Penn Station . The project is intended to build new rail bridges in the New Jersey Meadowlands , dig a new set of tunnels under Bergen Hill ( Hudson Palisades ) and the Hudson River , rehabilitate
242-711: A third rail power system devised by Frank J. Sprague . Electricity was in use on some branch lines of the NYNH&;H for interurban streetcars via third rail or trolley wire . An accident in the Park Avenue Tunnel near the present Grand Central Terminal that killed 17 people on January 8, 1902, was blamed on smoke from steam locomotives ; the resulting outcry led to a push for electric operation in Manhattan . The NH announced in 1905 that it would electrify its main line from New York to Stamford, Connecticut . Along with
363-465: A 138 kV transmission monopole, constructing a temporary fiber optic cable pole line, building a finger pier construction access structure, a service access road and a 560-foot retaining wall. Construction on the new bridges had been scheduled to begin in 2010 and wrap up in 2017, at which time the Portal Bridge would have been dismantled; however, the project encountered numerous delays primarily due to
484-553: A Portal North Bridge and a Portal South Bridge. In the early design years, cycling advocates, with Lautenberg's support, lobbied to include a bike path that would have become part of the East Coast Greenway , however that was not included in the final design of the Portal North Bridge. In October 2015, a $ 16 million TIGER grant was awarded and will be used to support early construction activities such as realignment of
605-434: A cost of $ 450 million, Secaucus Junction (at 40°45′42″N 74°04′30″W / 40.76161°N 74.074985°W / 40.76161; -74.074985 ) is an interchange station served by nine of New Jersey Transit's rail lines, and is sited where Hoboken Terminal trains intersect with those traveling along the Northeast Corridor . Passenger transfers are possible, but there is no rail junction . While Access to
726-453: A lack of state and federal funding during the Republican administrations of New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie and U.S. President Donald Trump , both of whom opposed the project. In June 2020, Trump informed NJ Governor Phil Murphy that he would no longer oppose the Portal Bridge replacement, allowing the project to begin once it could be properly financed. The first phase of the project,
847-418: A new overhead catenary wire made of high-strength silver-bearing copper, specified by Amtrak and later patented by Phelps Dodge Specialty Copper Products of Elizabeth, New Jersey . Service with electric locomotives between New Haven and Boston began on January 31, 2000. The project took four years and cost close to $ 2.3 billion: $ 1.3 billion for the infrastructure improvements and close to $ 1 billion for both
968-406: A part of the line that hugs the shore of Long Island Sound . Some of these crossings constitute the only points of access to waterfront communities and businesses otherwise disconnected from the road network. As such, eliminating them would require grade separation to maintain access. Six of the grade crossings have four-quadrant gates with induction loop sensors, which allow vehicles stopped on
1089-538: A project similar in scope, but with differences in design. That project, which did not include direct Amtrak participation, was cancelled in October 2010 by New Jersey governor Chris Christie , who cited potential cost overruns. Amtrak briefly engaged the governor in attempt to revive the ARC Tunnel and use preliminary work done for it, but those negotiations soon broke down. Amtrak said it was not interested in purchasing any of
1210-666: A reasonable range of alternatives, including a no-build alternative. As appropriate, FRA and NJ Transit will coordinate with Amtrak and PANYNJ on the EIS. The ARC Tunnel was to be built in three sections: under the Hudson Palisades, under the Hudson River, and under the streets of Manhattan, where it would have dead-ended. The Hudson Tunnel will likely be built along the footprint of the Palisades and river sections, but will enable trains to join
1331-459: A safe and well-functioning transportation infrastructure. I intend to continue to fight for both." On December 14, 2017, Governor Chris Christie committed $ 1.9 billion, New Jersey's share of the tunnel cost. On December 29, 2017, multiple news sources published a letter from a Trump administration FTA official who stated that the Gateway Program was a "local" project, putting federal funding for
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#17328515608331452-475: A shaft site south of 18th Street, following the same horizontal alignment identified in the ARC FEIS. Alignment Option 4 was chosen for the build alternative even though it would have a slightly longer tunnel than in the other alternatives. Because of the additional length, there would be additional tunneling costs for this option. The first three options have greater pre-construction risks, meaning that if construction
1573-525: A stretch of the NEC, began on March 30, 1918. Local electric service to Wilmington, Delaware , on the NEC began on September 30, 1928, and to Trenton, New Jersey , on June 29, 1930. Electrified service between Exchange Place , the Jersey City terminal, and New Brunswick, New Jersey , began on December 8, 1932, including the extension of Penn Station electric service from Manhattan Transfer. On January 16, 1933,
1694-536: Is a pair of vertical lift bridges crossing the Passaic River at Newark , Essex County and Harrison , Hudson County , New Jersey , United States, used exclusively for railroad traffic. It is the seventh crossing from the river's mouth at Newark Bay and is 5.0 miles (8.0 km) upstream from it. Also known as the Amtrak Dock Vertical Lift , it carries Amtrak , NJ Transit , and PATH trains. It
1815-501: Is listed on the state and federal registers of historic places. The bridge was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) for its main line. The west span carries three tracks and opened in 1935 along with the west half of Newark Penn Station . The lift span is 230 feet (70 m) over bearings (clear channel 200 feet or 61 meters), the longest three-track lift span in the world when built. The east spans opened in 1937 when
1936-495: Is minimally used for public transportation and connects Jersey City, New Jersey, to lower Manhattan. The George Washington Bridge , opened in 1931, is used by suburban buses to GWB Bus Terminal , and connects Fort Lee, New Jersey , to upper Manhattan. Its lower level, opened in 1962, is the last new river crossing. The Lincoln Tunnel , composed of three tubes opened in 1937, 1945, and 1954, connects Weehawken, New Jersey, to Midtown Manhattan. More than 6,000 bus trips are made through
2057-605: Is provided by PATH with additional terminals at World Trade Center and Herald Square in Manhattan, and at Hoboken Terminal and Journal Square in Hudson County, New Jersey. In 1971 New Jersey Governor William T. Cahill proposed constructing another rail tunnel from Weehawken, New Jersey to 48th Street in Midtown Manhattan. There are three vehicular crossings of the lower Hudson River. The Holland Tunnel , opened in 1927,
2178-496: Is roughly paralleled by Interstate 95 for most of its length. Carrying more than 2,200 trains a day, it is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency. The corridor is used by many Amtrak trains, including the high-speed Acela (formerly Acela Express ), intercity trains, and several long-distance trains. Most of the corridor also has frequent commuter rail service, operated by
2299-534: The Hackensack River between Kearny and Secaucus , limits train speeds and crossings and requires frequent and costly maintenance. Its lowest beams are 23 feet (7.0 m) above the water, so it opens regularly for shipping, though not during weekday rush hours, when trains have priority. In December 2008, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) approved a $ 1.34 billion project to replace
2420-737: The Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M), the forerunner of today's Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH). The Dock Bridge over the Passaic River was opened in conjunction with the adjacent Newark Penn Station in 1935. In 1937, the H&;M was extended over a second span, making the transfer in the meadows redundant. In 1949, the PRR discontinued its ferry system on the Hudson, and in 1961, it closed its Exchange Place station. In 1963, due to declining traffic and revenue,
2541-548: The Hudson and Manhattan Railroad (H&M, later called PATH) shifted its rapid transit trains from the Centre Street Bridge to the newly built station. With the opening of the eastern span, the PRR closed Manhattan Transfer station in the Kearny Meadows , where previously steam and electrical trains were changed and passengers could transfer to trains to New York Penn Station on the PRR or to Hudson Terminal on
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#17328515608332662-488: The MBTA , CT Rail , Metro-North Railroad , Long Island Rail Road , New Jersey Transit , SEPTA , and MARC . While large through freights have not run on the NEC since the early 1980s, some sections still carry smaller local freights operated by CSX , Norfolk Southern , CSAO , Providence and Worcester , New York and Atlantic , and Canadian Pacific . CSX and NS partly own their routes. Long-distance Amtrak services that use
2783-801: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority . The same month, the New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority bought, and Connecticut leased, from Penn Central their sections of the New Haven Line , between Woodlawn , New York, and New Haven, Connecticut . In 1973, the Regional Rail Reorganization Act opened the way for Amtrak to buy sections of the NEC not already been sold to these commuter transportation authorities. These purchases by Amtrak were controversial at
2904-680: The Metro-North Railroad , which has hindered the establishment of high-speed service. In 1976, Congress authorized an overhaul of the system between Washington and Boston. Called the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP), it included safety improvements, modernization of the signaling system by General Railway Signal , and new Centralized Electrification and Traffic Control (CETC) control centers by Chrysler at Philadelphia, New York and Boston. It allowed more trains to run faster and closer together, and set
3025-465: The Port Richmond section of the city, while entering a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limited (but at the time non- ATC protected) 4° curve at 106 mph (171 km/h), killing eight and injuring more than 200 (eight critically) of the 238 passengers and five crew on board as well as causing the suspension of all Philadelphia–New York NEC service for six days. This was the deadliest crash on
3146-682: The Regional Plan Association that there was something less than 20 years before one or both of the tunnels would have to be shut down. As a result of the storm damage and the tunnels' age, component failures regularly occur within the tubes, resulting in frequent delays. One report in 2019 estimated that the North River Tubes and the Portal Bridge contributed to 2,000 hours of delays between 2014 and 2018. The North River Tunnels need to be repaired without major reductions in weekday service, making it necessary to have new tunnels built. Once
3267-723: The Turboservice were rerouted into Penn Station from Grand Central; the Turboservice moved on February 1, 1971, for cross-platform transfers to the Metroliners. In 1971, Amtrak began operations, and various state governments took control of portions of the NEC for their commuter transportation authorities. In January, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts bought the Attleboro/Stoughton Line in Massachusetts, later operated by
3388-552: The U.S. Railway Association . By April 1976, Amtrak owned the entire NEC except Boston to the RI state line, which is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and New Haven to New Rochelle, New York, which is owned by the States of Connecticut and New York. Amtrak still operates and maintains the portion in Massachusetts, but the line from New Haven to New Rochelle, New York , is operated by
3509-572: The UAC TurboTrain set a speed record for a production train: 170.8 miles per hour (274.9 km/h) between New Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey . In February 1968, PRR merged with its rival New York Central Railroad to form the Penn Central (PC). Penn Central was required to absorb the New Haven in 1969 as a condition of the merger. On September 21, 1970, all New York–Boston trains except
3630-599: The United States Department of Transportation committed $ 450 million to a six-year project to support capacity increases on one of the busiest segments on the NEC: a 24-mile (39 km) section between New Brunswick and Trenton , passing through Princeton Junction. The Next Generation High-Speed project is designed to upgrade electrical power, signal systems and overhead catenary wires to improve reliability and increase speeds up to 160 mph (260 km/h), and, after
3751-466: The a U.S. Senate subcommittee proposed another $ 20 million. In September 2012, Schumer estimated that the project would need $ 20 million in 2013 and $ 100 million in 2014 to keep it from dying. In December 2012, Amtrak requested $ 276 million from Congress to upgrade infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Sandy that would also eventually support trains run along the new Gateway Project right-of-way. That earmark funding, which had been revised to $ 188 million,
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3872-498: The construction of Grand Central Terminal , which was opened in 1913, the NYC electrified its lines. On September 30, 1906, the NYC conducted a test of suburban multiple unit service to Highbridge station on the Hudson Line ; regular service began on December 11. Electric locomotives began serving Grand Central on February 15, 1907, and all NYC passenger service into Grand Central
3993-690: The 1930s, PRR equipped the New York–Washington line with Pulse code cab signaling . Between 1998 and 2003, this system was overlaid with an Alstom Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) , using track-mounted transponders similar to the Balises of the modern European Train Control System . The ACSES will enable Amtrak to implement positive train control to comply with the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 . In December 1967,
4114-460: The 1980s. Electrification between New Haven and Boston was to be included in the 1976 Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act . The last grade crossings between New York and Washington were closed about 1985; eleven grade crossings remain in Connecticut. In the 1990s, Amtrak upgraded the NEC north of New Haven, CT to get it ready for the high-speed Acela Express trains. Dubbed
4235-667: The 1990s, by Amtrak, using a 60 Hz system. In 1905, the PRR began to electrify its suburban lines at Philadelphia: an effort that eventually led to 11 kV, 25 Hz AC catenary from New York and Washington. Electric service began in September 1915, with multiple unit trains west to Paoli on the PRR Main Line (now the Keystone Corridor ). Electric service to Chestnut Hill (now the Chestnut Hill West Line ), including
4356-468: The 225 mi (362 km) between New York City and Washington, D.C., in under three hours, and the 229 mi (369 km) between New York and Boston in under 3.5 hours. In 2012, Amtrak proposed improvements to enable "true" high-speed rail on the corridor, which would have roughly halved travel times at an estimated cost of $ 151 billion. Most of what is now called the Northeast Corridor
4477-401: The 541 on board. The NEC is a cooperative venture between Amtrak and various state agencies. Amtrak owns the track between Washington and New Rochelle , New York , a northern suburb of New York City. The segment from New Rochelle to New Haven is owned by the states of New York and Connecticut; Metro-North Railroad commuter trains operate there. Amtrak owns the tracks north of New Haven to
4598-621: The ARC Tunnel had been completed. In April 2011, $ 188 million in federal funding was requested for preliminary engineering studies and environmental analysis. On May 2, 2016, the FRA published a Notice of Intent to jointly prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) with NJ Transit for the Hudson Tunnel Project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EIS will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of
4719-601: The CNJ and the LV. Conrail divested itself from passenger operations in 1983, and NJT assumed control. In 1991, NJT opened the Waterfront Connection , extending service on several non-electrified trains which had previously terminated at Newark Penn Station to Hoboken. In 1996, NJT inaugurated Midtown Direct service, rerouting some trains from the west which previously terminated at Hoboken Terminal to New York Penn. Secaucus Junction
4840-607: The Executive Director was Kris Kolluri , who resigned in July 2024. The current route, about 11 miles (18 km) long, includes infrastructure that was built in the 1900s and 1910s. The system operates at capacity during peak hours—24 trains per hour—and limits speed for safety reasons. The new route would run parallel to the current right-of-way, enabling dispatching alternatives, potential speed increases, and up to 24 more trains per hour. Six tracks connect Newark Penn Station and
4961-497: The Federal Transit Administrations (FTA)'s New Starts program for all new projects, despite his own Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao calling the project "an absolute priority". In September 2017, $ 900 million was allocated for the project in a House of Representatives spending bill, but under pressure from Trump, 155 Republican and four Democratic representatives co-sponsored a proposed amendment to remove
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5082-534: The Gateway Development Corporation that July. Another $ 3.8 billion grant was provided in November 2023. All told, $ 12 billion in federal funding for the $ 16 billion project was planned to be committed by the 2024 United States presidential election , bringing the project to a "point of no return". The new tunnel is scheduled to open in 2035. As of July 2023, the board consists of: As of July 2023,
5203-587: The Gateway Program. Schumer, who had become the Senate majority leader , said that month he was working with Biden administration Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to allocate $ 12 billion to the project. Buttigieg supported the project, saying, "This is a regional issue, but one of national significance." On May 28, 2021, the project was formally approved by the federal government. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act , passed in November 2021, appropriated billions for projects like Gateway and other upgrades to
5324-462: The H&M. The west span carries three tracks exclusively used by Amtrak and NJ Transit for Northeast Corridor intercity and commuter traffic between Newark and New York City. The east span carries two PATH tracks used by PATH's Newark-World Trade Center service and one NEC track shared by Amtrak and NJ Transit. Due partly to its use of the Dock Bridge, PATH is legally a commuter railroad under
5445-577: The Hudson River and for the repair of the North River Tunnels increased to $ 12.9 billion, up from a previous estimate of $ 7 to 10 billion. In August 2021, projected costs for construction of the new tunnels and repair of the existing North River Tunnels was revised to $ 12.3 billion in a financial plan submitted on behalf of the Gateway Development Commission. The States of New York and New Jersey identified their sources of funding for
5566-586: The Hudson River from Manhattan Island. The latter extended to the Bronx, where it continued into Manhattan via trackage rights on the New York and Harlem Railroad . It also reached the Bronx via the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad , which extended to the Bronx from the New Haven at New Rochelle . From 1903 to 1917, the two railroads undertook a number of projects that connected their lines and completed, in effect,
5687-450: The NEC to the west. Plans call for replacement of the bridges and expansion from two to four tracks, requiring the construction of bridges in the Kearny Meadows at Newark Turnpike and Belleville Turnpike . The 1910 Portal Bridge at 40°45′13″N 74°5′41″W / 40.75361°N 74.09472°W / 40.75361; -74.09472 ( Portal Bridge ) , a two-track, rail-only, 961-foot (293 m) swing bridge over
5808-578: The Northeast Corridor and another $ 153 million coming from FTA grants. In June 2018, the State of New Jersey approved $ 600 million in bonds to finance the Portal Bridge part of the project. In its 2020 budget, the Trump administration again proposed cutting funding for the Gateway Program by half, from $ 650 to $ 325 million. With the inauguration of Joe Biden as U.S. President in January 2021, discussion resumed on funding
5929-408: The Northeast Corridor are indicated using the following abbreviations. Other services are listed in the right-most column. Note that not all trains necessarily stop at all indicated stations. [REDACTED] DC Streetcar : H Street/Benning Road Line The entire Northeast Corridor has 11 grade crossings , all in southeastern New London County, Connecticut . The remaining grade crossings are along
6050-454: The Northeast Corridor include the Cardinal , Crescent , and Silver Meteor trains, which reach 125 mph (201 km/h), as well as its Acela trains, which reach 150 mph (240 km/h) in parts of Massachusetts , Rhode Island , and New Jersey . Some express trains operated by MARC that reach 125 mph (201 km/h) also operate on the Northeast Corridor. Acela can travel
6171-465: The Northeast Corridor since 16 died when Amtrak's Washington–Boston Colonial (TR#94) rear-ended three stationary Conrail locomotives at Gunpow Interlocking near Baltimore on January 4, 1987. Frankford Junction curve was the site of a previous fatal accident on September 6, 1943, when an extra section of the PRR's Washington to New York Congressional Limited derailed there, killing 79 and injuring 117 of
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#17328515608336292-593: The Northeast Corridor titled NEC FUTURE, and released the final environmental impact statement in December 2016. Multiple potential alignments north of New York City were studied. The proposed upgrades have not been funded. Eleven minutes after leaving 30th Street Station in Philadelphia on May 12, 2015, a year-old ACS-64 locomotive (#601) and all seven Amfleet I coaches of Amtrak's northbound Northeast Regional (TR#188) derailed at 9:21pm at Frankford Junction in
6413-612: The Northeast Corridor to be increased, making service along the line more reliable with redundant capacity. The Gateway Hudson River tunnel, one point of which would be at 40°45′17″N 74°01′00″W / 40.75479°N 74.01677°W / 40.75479; -74.01677 , will travel from a point at Weehawken Cove under the Hudson River and its eastern portal south of West Side Yard in Manhattan. Engineering studies for ARC along this route had been deemed unfeasible. Surveys of properties which would or would not be affected by underground construction at underground eastern end of
6534-401: The Northeast Corridor up to five hours. Railroad officials blamed Amtrak's funding woes for the deterioration of the track and power supply system, which in places is almost a hundred years old. These problems have decreased in recent years after tracks and power systems were repaired and improved. In September 2013, one of two feeder lines supplying power to the New Haven Line failed, while
6655-591: The Northeast Corridor. The next month, the United States Army Corps of Engineers gave final approval. On August 31, 2022, the Gateway Development Commission announced the new tunnels would be completed in 2035 and the existing North River Tunnels would be rehabilitated by 2038. In July 2022, New Jersey and New York officials each agreed to pay 25 percent of the project's cost; under the agreement, federal officials would pay 50 percent. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority agreed to help fund New Jersey's portion of
6776-788: The Northeast Corridor. These included the New York Tunnel Extension , which extended from New Jersey to Long Island (and was composed of the Manhattan Transfer station , the North River Tunnels , a new Pennsylvania Station , the East River Tunnels ), the New York Connecting Railroad , and the Hell Gate Bridge . Combined, these constituted a stretch that started just outside of Newark, New Jersey , on
6897-400: The Northeast High Speed Rail Improvement Program (NHRIP), the effort eliminated grade crossings , rebuilt bridges and modified curves. Concrete railroad ties replaced wood ties, and heavier continuous welded rail (CWR) was laid-down. In 1996, Amtrak began installing electrification gear along the 157 miles (253 kilometres) of track between New Haven and Boston. The infrastructure included
7018-481: The PRR demolished the above-ground New York Penn Station . It retained its below-ground passenger concourses and waiting areas, and sold its air rights , enabling construction of a new Madison Square Garden . In 1967, the Aldene Plan was implemented, requiring the floundering Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ), Reading (RDG), and Lehigh Valley (LV) railroads, to travel into Newark Penn while continuing service to New York Penn. Under continued financial pressure,
7139-411: The PRR merged with New York Central (NYC) in 1968, but the newly-formed Penn Central (PC) declared bankruptcy on June 21, 1970. In 1976, the PC long-distance service (including part of today's Northeast Corridor and Empire Corridor ) was assumed by Amtrak , which had been founded in 1971. Conrail was created in 1976 to consolidate numerous Northeast private railroads, including commuter service on
7260-497: The PRR; trains of both railroads were powered by DC electricity from a third rail. PRR trains changed engines (electric to/from steam) at Manhattan Transfer ; passengers could also transfer there to H&M trains to downtown Manhattan. On July 29, 1911, NH began electric service on its Harlem River Branch : a suburban branch that would become a main line with the completion of the New York Connecting Railroad and its Hell Gate Bridge . The bridge opened on March 9, 1917, but
7381-404: The Pennsylvania Railroad side, and connected with the Harlem River and Port Chester Railroad (and thus New Rochelle) on the New Haven side. With the opening of the Hell Gate Bridge in 1917, this final connecting stretch, and thus the Northeast Corridor itself, was complete. With the 1968 creation of Penn Central , which was a combination of those two railroads and the New York Central Railroad,
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#17328515608337502-440: The Portal Bridge with two new bridges: a three-track bridge to the north, and a two-track bridge to the south. In 2009, New Jersey applied for funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and on January 28, 2010, received $ 38.5 million for design. In April 2011, Amtrak applied for $ 570 million for construction from US DOT . New Jersey was expected to contribute $ 150 million. Plans call for two two-track bridges,
7623-420: The Region's Core (ARC) was a Major Investment Study that looked at public transportation ideas for the New York metropolitan area. It found that long-term goals would best be met by better connections to and in-between the region's major rail stations in Midtown Manhattan, Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal. The East Side Access project, including tunnels under the East River and the East Side of Manhattan,
7744-462: The Region's Core had planned a loop to create a junction, original plans for the Gateway Program did not. Amtrak trains pass through the station, but do not stop there, nor are there plans to include an Amtrak stop. In April 2012, Amtrak announced that the project might include a "Bergen Loop" connecting Main Line , Bergen County Line , Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis Line service to the NEC at Secaucus Junction. MTA constituencies are encouraging
7865-476: The U.S. Department of Transportation to facilitate mutual cooperation and planning and to advise Congress on Corridor rail and development policy. The commission members include USDOT, Amtrak and the Northeast Corridor states. In October 2010, Amtrak released "A Vision for High-Speed Rail on the Northeast Corridor," an aspirational proposal for dedicated high-speed rail tracks between Washington, D.C., and Boston. Many of these proposals are unfunded. In August 2011
7986-406: The adjacent Dock Bridge over the Passaic River at 40°44′05″N 74°9′51″W / 40.73472°N 74.16417°W / 40.73472; -74.16417 . The station and the west span of the bridge, carrying three tracks, were built in 1935. The east span, opened in 1937, carries one outbound track, and the two Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) rapid transit tracks entering and leaving
8107-429: The agency "would step up to the plate" with regard to funding the project, and in a September 2015 joint letter to Obama, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to pay half of the project's cost if the federal government picked up the rest. After President Donald Trump took office, however, his administration began to cast doubt on funding the project, as Trump suggested defunding
8228-648: The agency to include funding for the loop its capital plan. If a loop were built, passengers bound for New York Penn Station would not need to use Secaucus Junction for transfers. Trains using the loop would also increase the capacity demands on the already over-capacity NEC which the Gateway Program is designed to alleviate. Suburban property owners along the Main Line / Bergen County Line and Pascack Valley Line would stand to gain economically as property values have increased significantly along commuter rail lines once they were upgraded to offer "single-seat commutes". The Gateway Program would build two new tunnels, doubling
8349-448: The border between Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The final segment from the border north to Boston is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. At just over 453 miles (729 km), the Northeast Corridor is the longest electrified rail corridor in the United States. Most electrified railways in the country are for rapid transit or commuter rail use; the Keystone Corridor is the only other electrified intercity mainline. Currently,
8470-401: The cancellation of the somewhat similar Access to the Region's Core (ARC) project; the need for these renovations only increased after Hurricane Sandy had damaged the North River Tunnels the following year. It took nearly a decade to line up both funding from federal agencies and the state governments involved, and to complete regulatory filings. In 2021, the project was formally approved by
8591-440: The construction of two-track Portal North Bridge, which would not expand capacity, was expected to take 6 years to complete once construction begins. The Portal North Bridge was halfway complete and on budget by mid-May 2024. A timeline for the construction of two-track Portal South Bridge has not yet been released. Construction on the new bridge began on August 1, 2022, with a groundbreaking ceremony. Opened on December 15, 2003, at
8712-506: The corridor uses three catenary systems. From Washington, D.C., to Sunnyside Yard (just east of New York Penn Station), Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system (originally built by the Pennsylvania Railroad) supplies 12 kV at 25 Hz. From Sunnyside to Mill River (just east of New Haven station), the former New Haven Railroad's system , since modified by Metro-North, supplies 12.5 kV at 60 Hz. From Mill River to Boston,
8833-563: The creation of the Gateway Development Corporation was announced by Amtrak, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Chuck Schumer , and Governors Christie and Cuomo. The corporation oversaw planning, environmental, design, engineering, and construction work, and it also sought federal grants and applied for loans. Its board was composed of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey board members, the USDOT, and Amtrak, while its staff consisted of PANYNJ and Amtrak employees. In December 2015, federal legislation
8954-474: The current interlocking once it emerges. A flying junction is planned for later stages. This will allow Amtrak and NJT to continue to use the East River Tunnels and Sunnyside Yards for staging, storage, and carrying Amtrak NEC trains. The Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) for Gateway tunnels was issued in June 2017. Four alternatives for alignments under the Hudson River and the Palisades. Option 1 would have
9075-399: The current Penn Station unfeasible and its final design involved boring under the current rail yard to a new deep cavern terminal station under 34th Street. While Amtrak had acknowledged that the region represented a bottleneck in the national system and had originally planned to complete work by 2040, its timetable for beginning the project was advanced in part due to the cancellation of ARC,
9196-616: The development of Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan . Environmental impact statements had been completed and the design and engineering of the new bridges had begun. The ceremonial groundbreaking of the first phase of the conversion of the James Farley Post Office to the new Moynihan Train Hall took place in October 2010. Some funding for the projects comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 . The right-of-way
9317-543: The electrification south of Wilmington was stalled by the Great Depression , but the PRR got a loan from the Public Works Administration to resume work. The tunnels at Baltimore were rebuilt as part of the project. Electric service between New York and Washington began on February 10, 1935. On April 7, the electrification of passenger trains was complete, with 639 daily trains: 191 hauled by locomotives and
9438-488: The entire corridor was under the control of a single entity for the first time. After successor Penn Central’s 1970 bankruptcy, the corridor was almost entirely subsumed by the subsequently-created Amtrak on May 1, 1971. In 1899, William J. Wilgus , the New York Central Railroad (NYC)'s chief engineer, proposed electrifying the lines leading from Grand Central Terminal and the split at Mott Haven , using
9559-457: The existing 1910 tunnel, and construct a new terminal annex. The improvements are designed to double train capacity and permit more high-speed rail service along the current right-of-way, whose two-track rail line, used both by Amtrak and NJ Transit Rail Operations (NJT), has reached its full capacity of 24 trains per hour. It was unveiled as the Gateway Project in 2011, one year after
9680-485: The existing level of 24 trains per hour. Due to the need to provide two-way service on a single track, service would be reduced by over 50 percent. In the best-case scenario, with perfect operating conditions, 9 trains per hour could be provided through the tunnel, or a 63% reduction in service. During the duration of construction, passengers would have to use overcrowded PATH, buses, and ferries to get between New Jersey and New York. In May 2014, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman told
9801-592: The federal government, and work officially began in 2023. The total cost was estimated (in August 2021) to be $ 16.1 billion. It is scheduled to reach completion by 2035. Download coordinates as: The Gateway Project, as it was originally known, was unveiled on February 7, 2011, by Amtrak President Joseph H. Boardman and New Jersey Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez . The announcement also included endorsements from New York Senator Charles Schumer and Amtrak's Board of Directors. Officials said Amtrak would take
9922-469: The first option, with a shaft site north of 19th Street near JFK Boulevard East. This option would require the acquisition and demolition of an existing multi-story office building to build the shaft site. The third option would be further south with a shaft site south of 19th Street. This option would preclude the development of a portion of a planned residential development under construction at 800 Harbor Boulevard. The fourth option would be further south with
10043-416: The first time on January 12, 2017. On June 30, 2017, the U.S. Department of Transportation sent a letter to the Gateway Development Corporation permanently withdrawing from its board of trustees. Shortly afterward, the draft Environmental Impact Study for the project was issued. By 2019, project stakeholders had decided to create a bi-state agency to oversee the project's planning, funding, and construction of
10164-428: The funding, with North Carolina Republican Ted Budd saying, "North Carolina and the other 48 states should not have to foot the bill for this hall of fame earmark." A bipartisan group of representatives from New Jersey disagreed, with Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen saying, "The people of Texas, victims of an historic storm ( Hurricane Harvey ), need additional federal disaster assistance. The people of New Jersey need
10285-473: The jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration even though it has long operated as a rapid transit system. The lower 17 miles (27 km) downstream of the 90-mile (140 km) long Passaic River below the Dundee Dam is tidally influenced and navigable . When closed the bridge has a vertical clearance of 24 feet (7.3 m) above mean high water and opens to clear 135 ft (41 m). It
10406-637: The lead in seeking financing; a list of potential sources included the states of New York and New Jersey, the City of New York , the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), as well as private investors. By late 2011, two parts of the project were underway: the replacement of the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River , and
10527-493: The most heavily traveled railway in the United States, and is the only rail line that travels under the Hudson River and through New York City. The other rail system crossing the Hudson was developed by the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad , partially in conjunction with the PRR, and taken over by PANYNJ in 1962, who rebranded the H&M as the PATH, a rapid transit system. Direct trans-Hudson rail service to Lower Manhattan from Newark Penn
10648-431: The much newer 60 Hz traction power system supplies 25 kV at 60 Hz. All of Amtrak's electric locomotives can switch between these systems . In addition to catenary, the East River Tunnels have 750 V DC third rail for Long Island Rail Road trains, and the North River Tunnels have third rail for emergency use only. In 2006, several high-profile electric-power failures delayed Amtrak and commuter trains on
10769-526: The new Acela Express trainsets and the Bombardier–Alstom HHP-8 locomotives. On December 11, 2000, Amtrak began operating its higher-speed Acela Express service. Fastest travel time by Acela is three and a half hours between Boston and New York, and two hours forty-five minutes between New York and Washington, D.C. In 2005, there was talk in Congress of splitting the Northeast Corridor, which
10890-468: The new tunnels open, the two North River Tunnels would close for repairs, one at a time, with the existing level of service maintained. This is because the new tunnel would be located further south–there would be no access to Track 19, and Tracks 9–18 would only have access to the tunnel by the single I ladder-track. Once the new North River Tunnels reopen in 2030, capacity on the line would be doubled. The Hudson Tunnel Project would also allow for resiliency on
11011-551: The new tunnels run close to the existing tunnels with a ventilation site near the Lincoln Tunnel Helix. This option would have required a construction staging site within the Lincoln Tunnel Helix, thus displacing New Jersey Transit's Weehawken bus storage site, which would have a negative impact on the operation of buses to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Option 2 would have the new tunnels run further south than
11132-519: The other 448 under multiple-unit power. New York–Washington electric freight service began on May 20, 1935, after the electrification of freight lines in New Jersey and Washington,DC. Extensions to Potomac Yard across the Potomac River from Washington, as well as several freight branches along the way, were electrified in 1937 and 1938. The Potomac Yard retained its electrification until 1981. In
11253-715: The other feeder was disabled for service. The lack of electrical power disrupted trains on Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad , which share the segment in New York State. There are 109 active stations on the Northeast Corridor; 30 are used by Amtrak. All but three ( Kingston , Westerly , and Mystic ) see commuter service. Amtrak owns Pennsylvania Station in New York, 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Penn Station in Baltimore, and Union Station in Washington. The main services of
11374-518: The project in December 2022. Schumer said the same month that construction on the project would commence in 2023 with $ 292 million in federal funding, which Biden announced would be used to complete the Hudson Yards "tunnel box" . In July 2023, the FTA promised a $ 6.88 billion grant, the largest transit grant that the federal government had ever given; the grant was finalized the following June and handed over to
11495-549: The project in doubt. In March 2018, Trump directly pressured Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan to oppose federal funding for the Gateway Program in the omnibus spending bill that was then being worked on. When the Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed on March 23, 2018, it provided $ 2.9 billion to discretionary grant programs, which Democrats said could provide as much as $ 541 million for Gateway, with $ 388 million coming from $ 650 million for improvements to
11616-478: The project, and Amtrak increased its contribution to the project. Early in 2022, the FTA upgraded the rating for the sought Federal Grant share of the tunnel to project, making it eligible for funding. In July 2022, the governors of New York and New Jersey signed a memorandum in which the two states' governments agreed to share the cost of the project. By that August, the projected cost of the tunnels and related projects had increased to $ 16.1 billion. In November 2015,
11737-441: The purchase of new equipment, up to 186 miles per hour (299 km/h). In September 2012, speed tests were conducted using Acela trainsets, achieving a speed of 165 miles per hour (266 km/h). The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but, due to delays, the project had not been completed until 2020. In 2012, the Federal Railroad Administration began developing a master plan for bringing high-speed rail to
11858-471: The rail capacity. The current North River Tunnels allow a maximum of 24 one-way crossings per hour; the Gateway proposal would allow an additional 24 trains per hour. The North River Tunnels were 102 years old when they were inundated by seawater from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. If the new Hudson Tunnel is not built, the North River Tunnels will have to be closed one at a time, reducing weekday service below
11979-430: The rail tunnels and bridges. Creating this Gateway Development Commission required identical legislation in the New York and New Jersey legislatures, which both states passed on June 24, 2019. The law sets standards for transparency and accountability, and says that each state is responsible for half the funding. The Commission can receive funds from federal, state, and local sources. The Commission's first CEO, Kris Kolluri,
12100-425: The rest of the electrification between New Brunswick and Trenton opened, giving a fully-electrified line between New York and Wilmington. Trains to Washington began running under electricity to Wilmington on February 12, 1933, with the engine-change moved from Manhattan Transfer to Wilmington. The same was done on April 9, 1933, for trains running west from Philadelphia, with the change point moved to Paoli. In 1933,
12221-511: The rights-of-way of Amtrak, and PATH, and several NJT lines converge and run parallel to each other. While there is no junction with PATH, NJT trains can switch tracks, depending on their terminal of origination or destination, enabling Midtown Direct trains on the Morris and Essex Lines to join or depart the Northeast Corridor . The single track limited-use Waterfront Connection connects some lines using diesel trains on Hoboken Terminal trips with
12342-596: The stage for later high-speed operation. NECIP also introduced the AEM-7 locomotive, which lowered travel times and became the most successful engine on the Corridor. The NECIP set travel time goals of 2 hours and 40 minutes between Washington and New York, and 3 hours and 40 minutes between Boston and New York. These goals were not met because of the low level of funding provided by the Reagan Administration and Congress in
12463-425: The station. The bridge, owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), underwent repairs as recently as 2009. To the northeast lies the PATH's Harrison station . Between the bridge and the station Amtrak and NJT trains are aligned on three center tracks to pass through it, with the PATH using side platforms . Maps for the Gateway Program indicate that a fourth track for the NEC will be added through
12584-587: The station. While not part of the Gateway Project, the station itself underwent a $ 173 million reconstruction and expansion funded by the PANYNJ, which owns and operates the PATH, and the Federal Transit Administration . At the Sawtooth Bridges at 40°44′38″N 74°7′30″W / 40.74389°N 74.12500°W / 40.74389; -74.12500 east of the former Manhattan Transfer ,
12705-535: The time, and the Department of Transportation blocked the transaction and withheld purchase funds for several months until Amtrak granted it control over reconstruction of the corridor. In February 1975, the Preliminary System Plan for Conrail proposed to stop running freight trains on the NEC between Groton, Connecticut , and Hillsgrove, Rhode Island , but this clause was rejected the following month by
12826-506: The tracks to be detected in time for an oncoming train to stop. The remaining five grade crossings, 3 near New London Union Station and two in Stonington, have dual gates. FRA rules limit track speeds on the corridor to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) over conventional crossings and 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) over crossings with four-quadrant gates and vehicle detection tied into the signal system. Dock Bridge Dock Bridge
12947-537: The tunnel and bus terminal daily. Its eastern terminus is connected via ramps to the Port Authority Bus Terminal , the gateway for most NJT bus traffic entering Manhattan. Despite the Lincoln Tunnel XBL (express bus lane) during the morning peak there are often long delays due to traffic congestion and the limited capacity of the bus terminal. Launched in 1995 by PANYNJ, NJT, and MTA, Access to
13068-482: The work. Senator Menendez later said some preparatory work done for ARC may be used for the new project. Costs for the project were $ 117 million for preliminary engineering, $ 126 million for final design, $ 15 million for construction and $ 178 million real estate property rights ($ 28 million in New Jersey and $ 150 million in New York City). Additionally, a $ 161 million partially refundable pre-payment of insurance premiums
13189-455: Was also made. In 2011, the project was projected to cost $ 13.5 billion and finish in 2020. In April 2011, Amtrak asked that $ 1.3 billion in United States Department of Transportation funding for NEC rail corridor improvements be allocated to Gateway and related projects. In November, Congress allocated $ 15 million for initial engineering work. In 2012, revised projections put the cost at $ 14.5 billion and completion date at 2025. In April 2012,
13310-557: Was built, piece by piece, by several railroads constructed as early as the 1830s. Before 1900, their routes had been consolidated as two long and unconnected stretches, each a part of a major railroad. Anchored in Washington, D.C., the stretch owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad , approached New York City from the south, anchored at Boston, the stretch owned by the New Haven Railroad , and entered New York State from Connecticut . The former terminated at New Jersey ferry slips across
13431-399: Was completed in early 2023; some LIRR traffic has been diverted to Grand Central , freeing up track slots at Penn Station. The Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel or THE Tunnel , which later took on the name of the study itself, was meant to address the western, or Hudson River, crossing. Engineering studies determined that structural interferences made a new terminal connected to Grand Central or
13552-647: Was delayed the cost difference would be minimized. In addition, Option 4 does not have the issues that the first three options have. Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor ( NEC ) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak , it runs from Boston in the north to Washington, D.C. , in the south, with major stops in Providence , New Haven , Stamford , New York City , Newark , Trenton , Philadelphia , Wilmington , and Baltimore . The NEC
13673-529: Was deleted from the legislation. However, the United States Department of Transportation provided $ 185 million from its portion of these Sandy relief and resiliency funds to build the "tunnel box" under the Hudson Yards redevelopment project and rebuild an overlapping Maintenance of Equipment building for the Long Island Rail Road . In July 2017, the projected cost for the new tunnels under
13794-476: Was electrified on July 1, 1907. NH electrification began in July to New Rochelle , August to Port Chester and October the rest of the way to Stamford. Steam trains last operated into Grand Central on June 30, 1908: the deadline after which steam trains were banned in Manhattan. Subsequently, all NH passenger trains into Manhattan were electrified. In June 1914, the NH electrification was extended to New Haven , which
13915-570: Was introduced to allow Amtrak to operate the NEC as a financially separate entity that could invest profits from the line into its infrastructure. The legislation also provided for more low-interest loans through changes in the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing and Capital Investment Grant (New Starts) federal funding programs. In March 2016, Amtrak and PANYNJ committed $ 35 million each for design and engineering work. Additional funding has not been identified. The group met for
14036-543: Was nominated by New York governor Kathy Hochul and New Jersey governor Phil Murphy in early 2022. Kolluri resigned July 18, 2024, one month after he was repeatedly mentioned in the indictment of powerful South Jersey political boss George Norcross . The administration of President Barack Obama called Gateway the most vital piece of infrastructure that needs to be built in the United States. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman John J. Degnan said in May 2015 that
14157-399: Was opened in 2003, allowing passengers travelling from the north to transfer to Northeast Corridor Line , North Jersey Coast Line , or Midtown Direct trains, though not to Amtrak, which made no stops there. Between 1976 and 2010, the number of NJT weekday trains crossing the Hudson using the North River Tunnels (under contract with Amtrak) increased from 147 to 438. The Northeast Corridor is
14278-438: Was operated by steam with an engine change at Sunnyside Yard east of Penn Station until 1918. Electrification north of New Haven to Providence and Boston had been planned by the NH, and authorized by the company's board of directors shortly before the United States entered World War I . This plan was not carried out because of the war and the company's financial problems. Electrification north of New Haven did not occur until
14399-612: Was opposed by then-acting Amtrak president David Gunn . The plan, supported by the Bush administration, would "turn over the Northeast Corridor – the tracks from Washington to Boston that are the railroad's main physical asset – to a federal-state consortium." With the passage of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 , the Congress established the Northeast Corridor Commission (NEC Commission) in
14520-739: Was originally developed by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in conjunction with the 1910 opening of New York's Pennsylvania Station , which required the construction of the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River, as well as the North River Tunnels under the Hudson Palisades and Hudson River. The following year the Manhattan Transfer station was opened in the Kearny Meadows to allow changes between steam and electric locomotives. This station also provided for passenger transfers to/from its former main terminal at Exchange Place in Jersey City or
14641-616: Was the terminus of electrified service for over 80 years. The PRR was building its Pennsylvania Station and electrified approaches, which were served by the PRR's lines in New Jersey and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). LIRR electric service began in 1905 on the Atlantic Branch from downtown Brooklyn past Jamaica , and in June 1910 on the branch to Long Island City : part of the main line to Penn Station. Penn Station opened on September 8, 1910, for LIRR trains and November 27 for
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