Lawmakers, Amtrak: ‘Promising start’ for Penn Station work

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey lawmakers and Amtrak officials say the “summer of hell” track work at New York City’s Penn Station has gotten off to a “promising start.”

The state’s Democrat-led Senate oversight committee met on Wednesday with Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, PATH and New York Waterway officials about the progress of the extensive, summer-long repairs at the nation’s busiest train station.

Democratic state Sen. Bob Gordon says the summer work has not been as “hot as expected.” Amtrak vice-president Michael DeCataldo says there’s been a “promising start.”

The second week of extensive repairs is underway at Penn Station affecting train service for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (KWOH’-moh) had said it would be a “summer of hell,” but now says early reports have been good.