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New York Governor Kathy Hochul is urging Amtrak to restore full service on its Empire line, which runs from New York City to the Hudson Valley. The call comes after Amtrak modified the schedule to rehabilitate one tube of the East River Tunnel. Governor Hochul believes the reduction in service makes it harder for New Yorkers to travel around the state.
The Empire Service, supported by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), carried more than two million passengers in the 2024 fiscal year, setting records for ridership and revenue. The governor emphasized her support for the maintenance work but urged Amtrak to reconsider the cuts and explore viable alternatives to ease the disruption.
In a letter to Amtrak, Governor Hochul wrote, "Empire Service trains are receiving a disproportionate share of impacts to schedules and it is critical that you maximally restore service and protect New York’s riding public while the project progresses."
NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez has proposed several mitigation strategies, including operating some trains to Grand Central Terminal or expanding the trains that operate in the New York City–Albany market to six cars.
The East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, which is expected to last approximately three years, will involve demolishing the existing tunnel systems down to the concrete liner, followed by reconstructing and modernizing all tunnel systems. Despite the ongoing work, Amtrak plans to maintain the majority of service, with slight schedule changes for Northeast Regional and Acela trains, as well as modifications to some Long Distance and State Supported services.