Amtrak to restore service from NYC to Boston
Nov 2, 2012, 1:43 AM
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – Amtrak will resume service between New York City and Boston on Friday following the repair of commuter rail tracks damaged by Superstorm Sandy, the railroad said late Thursday.
Earlier, Joseph Boardman, the Amtrak’s president, said he was still waiting for confirmation from officials for Metro North, the commuter railroad that owns the damaged tracks Amtrak uses in Connecticut, that the tracks would be ready. But he added: “Right now we’re anticipating we’ll have access to it.”
There has been no service between New York City and points north this week. Limited service between the city and points south resumed Thursday.
With the restart of service to the north, passengers will be able to travel from Washington-to-Boston via New York on Friday.
“We’re getting this railroad back together,” Boardman told reporters in a conference call.
The storm flooded two train tunnels under the Hudson River and two of four tunnels under the East River. One Hudson River tunnel has been reopened following removal of the water and the two East River tunnels that were not flooded are also open, Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm said.
Boardman said he has also had discussions with Marc Laliberte, the president and chief executive of Via Rail Canada in Montreal, about borrowing trains for Amtrak’s New York state service. If that can be arranged, it would free up other Amtrak trains that could be sent to hard-hit New Jersey to provide commuter service, he said
The discussions were ongoing and no decision had been reached, Boardman said.
“We’re looking for ways to help,” he said. “We intend to be a major force to deliver mobility back to the Northeast.”
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