Former NYC Transit head Andy Byford has been chosen by President Trump to move up the trouble to rebuild Penn Station, in keeping with the White Home.
Byford’s management might sign an sudden dedication to the challenge on the a part of the mercurial Trump administration, and sign a departure from prior parts of Amtrak’s plan — similar to probably abandoning the demolition of a metropolis block south of the station with the intention to construct extra tracks for NJ Transit.
Former NYC Transit head Andy Byford has been tapped by President Trump to move up efforts to rebuild Penn Station, in keeping with a report revealed Friday within the West Facet Spirit. (Shutterstock)
Byford — whose brief two-year stint on the head of NYC Transit endeared him to transit employees and riders alike, incomes him the nickname “Train Daddy” — has been working at Amtrak on high-speed rail since 2023.
“[I]t would break my heart to see beautiful buildings torn down on Eighth and Seventh Aves. when they don’t need to be,” he mentioned on the time.
Byford additionally indicated his help for so-called “through-running,” an association that may see trains proceed on to different locations past Penn Station earlier than turning round or reversing — an association that would cut back the time trains sit stationary at Penn and will permit for extra frequent service.
byford farewell
Barry Williams/for New York Day by day Information
Former New York Metropolis Transit President Andy Byford smiles on the 4/5/6 line whereas driving the subway to Union Sq. on his ultimate day as head of NYC Transit on Feb. 21, 2020, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams for New York Day by day Information)
Even supposing many NJ Transit trains do, in actual fact, journey on to a yard in Queens after making their final cease at Penn, Amtrak has traditionally argued that through-running is just not potential, citing incompatibilities among the many tools utilized by the three railroads — Amtrak, Lengthy Island Rail Highway and NJ Transit — that use the station.
It was unclear on Friday whether or not Byford would have the authority to vary Amtrak’s current plans, just like the proposed demolition of Block 780 — the town block between W. thirty first and W. thirtieth Sts., bounded by Seventh and Eighth Aves. — with the intention to create extra platform area for NJ Transit commuter trains.
Layla Legislation-Gisiko — who heads the Metropolis Membership of New York, a preservation group that opposes the plan to demolish the blocks round Penn — described Byford as an “obvious” alternative.
Samuel Turvey of the advocacy group ReThinkNYC, who additionally opposes the state plan, described Byford’s choice as “a really great choice for everyone in the New York region.”
“Andy Byford has had great success on three continents, including his time in New York, and will bring integrity, competence and advanced leadership skills to the multi-decade conundrum at Penn Station,” he mentioned. “He will not, however, be able to do this on his own. He will need all of us to help him succeed.”
Initially Printed: Might 23, 2025 at 4:10 PM EDT
