In a closed station that is nonetheless bustling with activity, crews cut old nuts and bolts off the side of the platform. New polymer guardrails will be placed along the platform siding.
Courtesy of PANYNJ
HOBOKEN, N.J. - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shared photos of the first week of work at PATH Hoboken station during its renovation.
Crews have begun their work on deconstructing with jackhammers, sledgehammers, and blowtorches. They have cut away at old infrastructure including “track, ties, station platforms and stairs, and even c complex track switch structure carefully hoisted to street level via an old railcar shaft.” As previously reported, the station will remain closed through February 25th to allow for this work. Below is a video and photo gallery with captions, courtesy of PANYNJ.
Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole and Executive Director Rick Cotton toured the station during the first week of the closure.Old wooden track ties, some weighing up to 500 pounds, are hauled out of the tunnel just beyond Hoboken station as the track switch above those ties is removed. It will be replaced by a modern, custom-made switch, allowing trains to move between tracks seamlessly while reducing delays.A jackhammer works to remove old concrete on a platform. The finished station will feature resurfaced and refurbished platforms.A crane hauls away a section of staircase. Four old staircases between the mezzanine and platform levels original to the station will be replaced with new staircases that are wider, safer and not as steep.One of the new staircases gets installed, with handrails to come. The station is set to reopen at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 25. The following day will mark the 117th anniversary of the station’s opening.Old rail fasteners are cut with a blowtorch as the track section is prepped for removal. Over the course of the project, 4,500 linear feet of track will be removed and replaced, along with the rocks under the track, known as ballast, and the ties between the rails. The new track structure will lead to improved drainage in the tunnel, reducing moisture intrusion and prolonging the life of the infrastructure.Old concrete from track beds and ducts is disposed of. The Port Authority will look to reuse as much old infrastructure as possible, running ultrasonic tests to ensure structural integrity. All new concrete poured for the project will adhere to the agency’s low-carbon concrete standards.The old track switch in the tunnel outside of the Hoboken station is hoisted to street level. The switch, known as Hoboken Interlocking, was 35 years old and prone to mechanical issues. It will be replaced by a new, custom-made switch.Much of the track infrastructure is raised and lowered to the worksite via an old elevator shaft outside the station. The elevator helped deliver new railcars to the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad, PATH’s predecessor, via the Erie Lackawanna Railway above. It had been largely unused for decades until it was brought back to life for this project.The tunnel outside the Hoboken station, which normally sees 230 trains and 30,000 people pass through each weekday, sits quiet and empty with its massive track infrastructure removed.
