Amtrak study finds way to run more trains at Penn Station without razing a Midtown block
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Published Jul 16, 2026 at 11:29 a.m. ET
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Courtesy Penn Transformation Partners
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Published Jul 16, 2026 at 11:29 a.m. ET
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Amtrak’s plan to reconstruct Penn Station could increase rush hour service between New Jersey and Midtown by 33% without expanding the train hub’s footprint, according to a preliminary study released by the Trump administration on Wednesday.
The report, published by the Federal Railway Administration, lays out how the inefficient turnover of trains at the station’s cramped platforms strains service. By extending some of the platforms and adding additional stairways, escalators and entrances, the study found trains could spend less time deboarding and boarding, which would increase throughput.
The study also marks the first time the federal government has outlined how trains could “through-run” at Penn Station. The idea, long-sought by transit planners, would have NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road trains continue their journeys on each other’s territories. The concept could help boost efficiency at the station, but the report says doing so would require the construction of a “super-wide platform” and the removal of two tracks.
The study says fixes to the station’s interlockings, which direct trains into its 21 tracks, and “operational discipline” could further boost service.
In total, the report found the changes could allow Penn to handle 32 trains each hour from New Jersey in the morning rush and 30 per hour in the evening rush, up from the current rate of 24 per hour.
The study comes at a crucial point for the future of Penn Station. President Donald Trump took control of the station’s rebuild from the MTA last year, and last month the feds announced they selected a design and “master developer” for the project.
The federal rebuild is moving forward while a new set of Hudson River tunnels are under construction as part of the Gateway program. By 2038, they could allow for up to 48 trains an hour between Midtown and New Jersey — so long as there’s space for them. And the MTA’s Penn Access project is expected to be completed in the coming years, sending Metro-North trains to Penn Station.
Amtrak special advisor Andy Byford, who’s leading the Penn project, as well as Gov. Kathy Hochul, have said they do not support a longtime proposal to expand Penn Station’s tracks by razing an entire block south of West 31st Street.
Amtrak's Penn Station plan would add more vertical circulation to Penn Station's platforms, which could help reduce long dwell times that strain service.
Courtesy Penn Transformation Partners
“ It would've been immoral to tear down a vibrant block of New York City before we had properly evaluated how to extract every ounce of additional capacity out of Penn's existing footprint,” Byford said during a town hall on Tuesday.
The alternative option is to increase capacity within the station’s existing footprint.
“If the station cannot process passengers quickly, safely, and more reliably, the benefits of these adjacent rail infrastructure investments will not reach riders,” the report notes.
The feds plan a second, larger study that will take a deeper look at how to accomplish the capacity increases. It’s expected to be released in 2028.
“Whether you are a daily commuter or a tourist, Penn Station can and should work better for you. That means reducing frustrating delays and increasing capacity,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wrote in a statement. “This early report underscores how the work we are doing to transform the station into a world class transit hub isn’t just a face lift – it can fundamentally improve the travel experience.”
Trains can spend as much as 25 minutes turning around at Penn, which takes up track space and creates scheduling conflicts.
The limited through-running envisioned in the study would start with four trains that run between New Jersey and Long Island.
“That's got to be the Holy Grail for us, an integrated transit system is ultimately where we've got to get to,” Byford said during Tuesday’s town hall.
Byford cited Berlin, London, Paris and Philadelphia as cities that already use through-running.
“ If they can do it, we can do it. Best city in the world,” he said.
The report’s release comes as the federal government is still yet to identify how much the Penn Station rebuild will cost or how it will be paid for. MTA Chair Janno Lieber, who controls the LIRR, Metro-North and subways that service Penn, has declined to sign on as an official partner for the project.
Trump has ordered construction to start by the end of 2027.
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Stephen Nessen covers transportation. Since 2008 he has reported on everything from Occupy Wall Street, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Hurricane Sandy, to Trump’s campaign for president. His transportation reporting has taken him everywhere from the MTA’s secret Rail Control Center to the gleaming subways of Seoul. Got a tip? Email snessen@wnyc.org.
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