Metro-North Railroad Penn Station Access Design Build Project

Metro-North (MNR) operates three main lines east of the Hudson River – the Hudson line, the Harlem line, and the New Haven line (NHL). While each of these lines provides MNR customers service to Grand Central Terminal (GCT) on Manhattan’s East Side, none previously provided services to Pennsylvania Station New York (Penn Station) on Manhattan’s West Side.

The Penn Access Project will provide MNR customers with service outside of Penn Station by diverting some NHL trains via Amtrak’s Hell Gate Line (HGL). To this end, the project requires the design and construction of additional passenger tracks, traction power substations, overhead contact systems, new interlockings, updated communication systems, and new signal systems within Amtrak’s HGL right of way, allowing MNR trains running on the NHL to travel directly into Penn Station. In addition, these additional tracks will also enhance MNR’s network resiliency, supporting faster recovery efforts and facilitating its ability to maintain acceptable levels of service when faced with planned and unplanned service disruptions, severe weather events, and other emergency situations.

The Penn Access Project also includes the design and construction of four new MNR stations along the HGL in the eastern Bronx. These stations will bring increased regional accessibility to the eastern Bronx community by offering rail services to and from Manhattan and the New York and Connecticut suburbs.

Garg Consulting Services, Inc. (Garg) is performing the design of the following project elements:

• Traction Power foundation structures, including substation support structures and foundations, transformer support structures and foundations, and overhead gantry support structures and foundations for:
  • Van Nest Substation
  • Oak Substation
  • New Rochelle Substations
  • DC HG-01/02 Substation
• Load rating analysis and design of catenary portals
• Signal, Power, and Station support including:
  • Signal Site Plans for CP-215 and CP-217
  • Grounding Site Plans for Signal Cases (63 sites)
  • Temporary Point Protection for Two Interlockings