Amtrak’s plan to transform Penn Station from a dingy, unsafe kvetch magnet to a world-class rail station took three steps forward on October 30. In a half-hour press backgrounder arranged by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)’s Amtrak media office, Special Advisor to the Amtrak Board Andy Byford announced that the “Transformation Project” is slated to begin construction in 2027. The next steps include the project’s solicitation for a master developer, the selection of advisors to guide formation of a public-private partnership (P3), and the initiation of the long-awaited Service Optimization Study.
Byford spoke optimistically about the process, the demanding schedule, the operational and design standards he expects firms to meet, and the transparency he promises the public. “This will be one of the biggest and most significant construction projects in U.S. history, and we want the most skilled and knowledgeable partners to help make it a success,” he said via a press release. “By working with the private sector, we will be working with advisors who focus on the project’s goals while minimizing costs for taxpayers.” A public-private partnership (P3) structure, as employed on the LaGuardia Airport renovation and elsewhere, aims to combine public-sector resources with the design and planning ingenuity associated with the private sector.
Byford will first screen letters of interest from potential development partners for credibility and credentials, solicit formal proposals from a shortlist through next spring, and make a recommendation in May 2026 to the Amtrak Board. The board will then decide on whether or not to forward the plan to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the President. Byford is resolved to prevent obstacles at those final stages by approving only a project that meets a robust criteria for capacity, ambience, ease of use, efficiency, and affordability. The overall target date that Byford and Duffy announced last August—shovels in the ground by the end of 2027—remains in place.
The first advisors named to oversee P3 development are its legal advisor, Richmond-based law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth; financial advisor KPMG; and environmental consultant, AKRF. A fourth procurement process is under way to name a construction-management advisor, a role Byford expects to fill by the end of the calendar year.
A step that advocacy groups and academic analysts have long called for, the independent Service Optimization Study, will proceed in parallel with the developer search. The study addresses two core concepts, with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) engaging consultants for six months to evaluate changes to the tracks, platforms, and related infrastructure. The second aspect, expected to take 18 months, considers possible extension of through-running service beyond Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, where through-running already exists at Penn, to improve operational efficiencies throughout the region (possibly including New Jersey Transit and the Long Island Rail Road), provided a market for such service exists, implementing practices Byford has seen in nearly every other jurisdiction he has worked in. Any future decision about whether changes to the existing train shed can accommodate Gateway’s additional capacity will depend on the study’s conclusions.
Longtime Penn-watchers will note that Byford and his colleagues are unfazed by recent political attacks on the Gateway Project’s federal funding and are continuing to work with colleagues at FRA and Gateway under the assumption that Gateway will ultimately proceed. They are open to whatever designs are offered, remaining nonprescriptive about headhouse style wars, the through-running option, and Madison Square Garden’s “should it stay or should it go?” status. They also intend to work within the station’s footprint to improve service rather than explore expansion, which will spare Block 780 from demolition. Having walked the block, visited St. John the Baptist Church, and spoken with residents, Byford has assured them—avoiding categorical statements about new development being permanently off the table, as prospective developers may bid on opportunities just outside the footprint—that they are not at risk.
Design features that Byford will look for in proposals include a single-level concourse, consistent and intuitive signage, and penetration of natural light. Beyond those essentials and demonstration of financial viability, all options are on the table. Potential master developers are directed to the “Upcoming Major Projects” section of Amtrak’s procurement portal. Once a developer is selected, Byford estimates that progress from 10 percent to 30 percent design will take roughly a year and a half, followed by financial and commercial close—with capitalization as probably the steepest challenge—before construction begins.
Byford does not underestimate the project’s difficulty, even without reference to the conceivable contingencies in a politically volatile atmosphere (wild cards, black swans, perfect storms, and more: There is lately no shortage of apt metaphors for today’s turbulent times). Still, those aware of Train Daddy’s career are inclined to agree with him when he notes he wouldn’t have taken on the Penn project if he thought it were impossible.
Bill Millard is a regular contributor to AN.
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