Spring construction scheduled for new Schenectady train station

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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A rendering of what the new Schenectady train station will look like.
Metroplex Development Authority

New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Matthew J. Driscoll unveiled plans for the new Schenectady Train Station, which will be a modern, fully accessible transportation hub connecting travelers to New York City, Niagara Falls and destinations between and beyond. Station construction is scheduled to get under way in the spring.

 

“The new Schenectady rail station is one more way Governor Cuomo is leveraging smart investments in transportation to support business, tourism and local economies across New York,” Commissioner Driscoll said. “A new train station in downtown Schenectady will help further the city’s resurgence and support local revitalization efforts.”

NYSDOT today issued a pre-bid notice; bidding details, including project plans and specifications, will be available in December with bid proposals be due in January.

Station construction is expected to start next spring as the new second rail track between Albany and Schenectady is being placed. The double track will help minimize train delays between the two cities, enhancing service along Amtrak’s Empire Corridor. Station construction is expected to be completed in early 2018.

The design of the new Schenectady Station is inspired by the aesthetics and architecture of the former Union Station, built on the same site in 1910. The new station, which will be owned by Amtrak, will be slightly larger than the existing station, which was built in the 1970s.

The station will feature a new platform and rehabilitated concourse access to the platform, including a new elevator. It will enhance safety by providing a secondary ramp egress from the platform for emergency use.

New York State competed for and won several grants from the Federal Railroad Administration to make considerable improvements to the Empire Corridor, including the construction of a new Schenectady station. The state and the Federal Railroad Administration are investing more than $200 million for projects on the Hudson Line Section of the Empire Corridor between Schenectady and Poughkeepsie, ultimately improving the passenger experience, enhancing reliability and reducing train delays.

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