This is probably for the best.
Penn Station needs to either expand to the south or start moving to through-running (which means effectively combining LIRR and NJ Transit into one entity). Especially with congestion pricing coaxing more people onto trains. The lack of vision (or just basic planning) here is stunning.
I don’t see why they can’t expand to the south without wiping out all the buildings to the south. Like the garage and the ugly stuff should be demolished and turned into a new headhouse/new buildings but the church should stay.
Through running would probably be the cheapest option, too. This could also allow for some tracks to be eliminated and thus wider, more accessible platforms can be created. The only thing is NJT needs to ditch their stupid multilevel trains and adopt M8 MU’s much like the MNRR which run on third rail and overhead lines and they can fit in the LIRR loading gauge. The only thing is they need to be configured to top-running third rail instead of under. But that’s pocket change compared to an entire Penn station expansion, demolishing an entire city block to fit said expansion (and also avoids having to deal with Alstom and their reputation for defective and delayed orders).
Buckle up, big changes are coming to the Penn Station renovation. The MTA was booted from the project and the government is taking over and putting Amtrak as the project lead. In addition to this, a grant to Amtrak is being taken away saving “$120 million”. No further details at this time are available regarding potential designs for the station as this is fresh news.
If this change allows us to get a better solution to dealing with MSG and a more dignified station then it will be a welcome change. Until then, skepticism is not unwarranted on what will happen.
It is very likely that this is part of the retribution for not killing congestion pricing.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-17/trump-administration-takes-over-new-york-penn-station-makeover
(Paywall Bypass)
It will not. This is just another way to fuck over NYC
The fact that even Hochul seemed to welcome this makes me think this is less hostile than it may seem. We’ll just have to wait and see what they have in store.
Maybe like Mussolini he’ll end up being one of those fascists who makes the trains run on time.
From the NYTimes article:
Mr. Duffy said in a news release. “New York City deserves a Penn Station that reflects America’s greatness and is safe and clean. The MTA’s history of inefficiency, waste and mismanagement also meant that a new approach is needed.”
…
In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul described the Trump administration’s decision as a boon for the state and indicated that she would withdraw more than $1 billion of funding from the project.
“In multiple meetings with President Trump, I requested that the federal government fund the long-overdue overhaul of Penn Station. Clearly that effort has been successful, and I want to thank the president and Secretary Duffy for taking on the sole responsibility to deliver the beautiful new $7 billion station that New Yorkers deserve.”
She added that the decision was “a major victory for New Yorkers, and the use of federal funds will save New York taxpayers $1.3 billion that would have otherwise been necessary for this project.”
Janno Lieber, the head of the M.T.A., said in a statement that the authority was glad the federal government is focusing on the transit hub, noting that the agency recently completed major work on the 33rd Street concourse of the station. He added that the M.T.A. expects to participate in the administration’s efforts. The authority did not receive an advance copy of Mr. Duffy’s announcement.
…
The announcement did not detail what the Trump administration’s vision for the site might look like, but a draft of an unsigned executive order on Penn Station gave some hints. The design would emphasize “classical architectural heritage” that would “ennoble the United States,” according to the order that The New York Times reviewed.
The design would emphasize “classical architectural heritage” that would “ennoble the United States,”
I’m worried that this will be like a multi-billion dollar version of the Oval Office renovation.
Get ready for gold-painted polyurethane columns slapped onto MSG…
It’s going to be a gaudy misshapen hybrid of MSG and Moynihan Station that at best will be a mediocre imitation of the actual classical style.
If it actually happens at all, this administration lies and flip flops as easily as it blinks.
This feels like a fever dream.
Right. I’ve got a feeling he will decide to cancel this project.
I’m not holding my breath on this being a net positive. I feel like it’ll become a bargaining chip for congestion pricing somehow. Idk if that even makes sense, but nothing this administration does is good for the average citizen
Hochul “likes” it because it takes an obligation off of NY State to provide over one billion dollars. I read her statement as somewhat snarky. Even if they were to circumvent all legal and regulatory processes, this project is years from being shovel ready. The willingness and ability of this administration to rapidly generate a design and line up the necessary funding and contracts is entirely questionable. This is likely no more than (as someone already suggested) Trump trying to exert dominance and stick it to NYC and NYS.
I’m sure this will materialize just as effectively as “Infrastructure Week” under Trump I.
Part of the problem is that Agent Orange doesn’t really get how government works. He rules through executive orders and vague slogans and hopes it influences the people in the government who actually do know what they’re doing, which is a declining population with how many workers he’s firing or swapping out with sycophants.
