Construction this summer will temporarily suspend Amtrak service on the Chicago–New York corridor as crews carry out repairs and upgrades to tracks, tunnels and bridges that support the route.
The U.S. National Passenger Railroad Corporation is investing in extensive work at New York’s Penn Station and the rail approaches to Manhattan. These projects are intended to restore and strengthen infrastructure that has suffered from aging and storm-related damage.
Key repairs include work on the Empire Tunnel and the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, which will require the Lake Shore Limited to pause direct service between New York and Chicago. From May 26 through Sept. 4, the Lake Shore Limited will operate only between Chicago and Boston; passengers traveling to or from New York will need to use Albany as a connection point to reach Chicago-bound trains.
Because of the bridge and tunnel repairs, Amtrak will reroute several services that normally call at Penn Station. The Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express, Adirondack and Maple Leaf trains — which serve upstate New York, Vermont, Montreal and Toronto, respectively — will operate into and out of Grand Central Terminal for the duration of the work.
Amtrak is also progressing with upgrades on Track 19 at Penn Station and will maintain a modified schedule for Northeast Corridor and Keystone trains through at least July 20. The broader project scope includes replacing track within the Empire Tunnel and upgrading mechanical and electrical equipment on the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge, which was damaged by Hurricane Sandy and requires modernized components to ensure reliable crossings over the Hudson.
These service changes and infrastructure improvements are aimed at improving resilience, reliability and safety for long-term operations into Manhattan. Travelers are advised to check Amtrak schedules in advance, plan for alternate connections where needed, and allow extra time for transfers during the construction period.