Metro-North to resume train service from Port Jervis to Harriman Sept. 19
Written by jrood
Three weeks after Hurricane Irene caused catastrophic damage that forced a complete shutdown of the Port Jervis Line, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Metro-North Railroad will partially resume rail service on the line Monday, September 19. Simultaneously, a massive effort is underway to repair the line as soon as possible. To provide a more reliable and predictable service, the railroad will use that portion of the line not severely damaged by the storm from Port Jervis to Harriman, where buses will take customers to the NJ Transit station at Ramsey/Route17. There train service, including some newly added semi-express trains will be provided to Secaucus, Penn Station and Hoboken. "This is the first of many steps Metro-North is taking to restore full train service. We believe it is an improvement over the bus plan in place for the past few weeks," said Metro-North President Howard Permut. "Train service offers the most consistently reliable travel times when compared to bus service, which can be delayed by road conditions and traffic. This plan will be in effect for the next few months as the 14 miles between Harriman and Suffern is repaired. Metro-North Railraod employees are rebuilding the line so that train service can resume as soon as possible. Capital construction managers are assessing damage, designing repairs and writing specifications. The Procurement Department is trying to locate vendors with enough rock to fill the washouts. The Track Department is repairing the places where the damage is less severe in order to expedite the work and reduce the work of the contractor eventually hired. Further, MTA Real Estate is negotiating with landowners so that men, machines and material can get access to the railroad right-of-way at multiple locations to speed repair work. "It is an all-hands-on-deck effort and all Metro-North departments are involved in the tremendous effort to get train service back on the Port Jervis Line and I'm proud of the work our people are doing," Permut said.
