Governors Andrew Cuomo and Chris Christie are calling for a review of train tracks near Penn Station after a derailment last week.
“Following recent train derailments and severe service disruptions at New York’s Pennsylvania Station, the need for a complete review of Amtrak’s infrastructure and maintenance protocols has become clear,” the governors said in a letter to Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration.
A NJ Transit train derailed last Monday, damaging eight tracks at Penn Station. That resulted in several days of canceled trains and delays for NJ Transit, Amtrak and the Long Island Rail Road. Cuomo and Christie said there should be an independent verification of track safety in the area.
“Specifically, this comprehensive review should take into account the causes of recent failures at Penn Station and any needed changes to the processes by which routine maintenance and emergency repairs are performed,” the governors said.
They called Penn Station a “regional economic engine” that serves hundreds of thousands of passengers every day. The governors claimed that service disruptions create a ripple effect across the region.
“Our passengers and our residents deserve better,” Cuomo and Christie said.
Photo Credit: Getty Images