As a subconsultant, SI Engineering, P.C. (SIE) provided project management and construction management services for the Penn Station Access Project. This project will provide Metro-North Railroad customers with service into and out of Penn Station via Amtrak’s Hell Gate Line. The project was a key element and strategic component of a comprehensive plan to transform and expand New York’s vital regional transportation infrastructure and to enhance the economy, environment, and future of the northeast section of the Bronx. Metro-North operates three main lines east of the Hudson River – the Hudson Line, the Harlem Line, and the New Haven Line. While each of these lines currently provides Metro-North customers service to Grand Central Terminal (“GCT”) on Manhattan’s East Side, none currently provide service to Penn Station on Manhattan’s West Side.
These additional tracks will also enhance Metro-North’s network resiliency, support faster recovery efforts, and facilitate its ability to maintain acceptable levels of service when faced with planned and unplanned service disruptions, severe weather events, and other emergency situations. The project also included the design and construction of four new Metro-North stations along the Hell Gate Line in the eastern Bronx. These stations will bring increased regional accessibility to the eastern Bronx community by offering rail service to and from Manhattan and the New York and Connecticut suburbs. In addition, the stations will provide area residents with better access to jobs, shopping, and entertainment. Other major elements of the project included:
- Realigning existing tracks and constructing 2 new passenger tracks along an approximate 6-mile segment of the HGL, as well as relocating and reconfiguring existing interlockings and constructing new ones, including Leggett Interlocking.
- Realigning and removing existing freight tracks, constructing new ones, realigning catenary for existing tracks and interlockings, and installing new catenary for them.
- Replacing or rehabilitating existing superstructure of undergrade bridges, as well as repairing and strengthening existing bridge spans and constructing a new span.
- Constructing a new substation, upgrading AC distribution substations, providing traction power by installing approximately 3 miles of third rail, and constructing 2 new DC substations in Queens.
- Upgrading to a high-density signal system with positive train control overlay between Harold Interlocking in Queens County and Shell Interlocking in Westchester County.
- Installing new signal systems and constructing retaining walls and sound attenuation barriers.
