MTA Warned Amtrak: Fire Chaos Feared

MTA officials had previously warned Amtrak that their construction plan for the East River tunnels would cause significant service disruptions. These warnings proved accurate on Thursday when a fire erupted in an East River train tunnel, leading to widespread service meltdowns that persisted into Saturday morning. Amtrak owns four East River tunnels, which are utilized by both the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and NJ Transit. Two of these tunnels sustained flood damage during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Amtrak initiated a project last year to repair these tunnels, requiring each to be closed one at a time. This phased closure reduced the number of operational tunnels between Penn Station and Queens from four to three, leaving little room for error. MTA officials had urged Amtrak to conduct repairs during nights and weekends, similar to L train tunnel work in 2019. However, Amtrak proceeded with the full-time closure plan.

On Thursday, a track fire damaged equipment in two of Amtrak's tunnels, forcing both to close. With another tunnel already shut for repairs, only one East River crossing remained operational, severely impacting train traffic through North America's busiest rail interlockings. LIRR President Rob Free reiterated the MTA's concerns, noting that this situation was a foreseen risk. Consequently, most LIRR trains were redirected to Grand Central Madison and Atlantic Terminal during Friday evening's rush hour.