CONSTRUCTION BEGINS TO PRESERVE POSSIBLE PATHWAY

OF NEW TRAIN TUNNELS INTO PENN STATION, NEW YORK Amtrak, Schumer, Menendez and Nadler say new tunnels critical to expand

capacity, increase reliability and improve resiliency of rail system

NEW YORK – Amtrak Chairman Tony Coscia, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, U.S.

Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Jerrold Nadler today announced a critical first step

towards preserving a right-of-way for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River designed to

withstand future flooding, with the start of construction of an 800-foot concrete casing at the

Hudson Yards facility in the heart of Manhattan.

The casing is being constructed between 10th and 11th Avenues in order to preserve a

possible right-of-way for two new rail tunnels into Penn Station, New York. It is being built

beneath the Hudson Yards Development project currently under construction by Related

Companies and Oxford Properties Group. In May 2013, Schumer, Menendez and Nadler

announced $185 million from the Department of Transportation’s Super Storm Sandy Relief

funding for the project. Construction of the concrete casing is expected to be complete in

October 2015.

“The value of the work on this concrete casing cannot be underestimated as it preserves a

possible pathway for new tunnels designed to increase the reliability and capacity for Amtrak

and New Jersey Transit’s operations and will step up the resiliency of the rail system against

severe weather events like Super Storm Sandy,” Coscia said.

“Transit is the lifeblood of the metropolitan area, and this project will make sure one of

our critical arteries is in good condition and protected from future breakdowns,” said Sen.

Schumer. “When we learned of the possibility of missing this opportunity to preserve the only

right- of- way for new tunnels into Penn Station, we moved quickly to secure the needed

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2013

ATK-13-105 Contacts:

Cliff Cole (Amtrak) – 212 630 6933 Max Young (Schumer) – 202 380 5990

Paul Brubaker (Menendez) – 202 224 4744 Aaron Keyak (Nadler) – 202 225 5635

Susan Hendrick (Trottenberg) – 202 366 0100

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funding. Today’s groundbreaking is the fruit of that effort. In the aftermath of Super Storm

Sandy, Amtrak’s Gateway Program is critical infrastructure for our homeland security, making

expedited construction of Hudson Yards Right-Of-Way Preservation project in the national

interest. I am pleased that Amtrak is moving forward with the concrete casing so quickly so that

we can preserve a path for new train tunnels into Manhattan.”

“Today’s groundbreaking is about so much more than making way for the Amtrak

Gateway tunnels,” said Sen. Menendez. “It’s about celebrating a $185 million investment in our

future, in keeping our competitive edge in the New Jersey-New York area, in our preparedness

against severe weather events like Super Storm Sandy. We can’t be satisfied with a 19th century

infrastructure in a 21st century world and expect to stay competitive in a high-tech, fast-paced,

global economy. For the growth of the entire region, it’s critical that we invest in new rail

tunnels across the Hudson.”

“Today, we mark an important step in the development of high speed rail in the Northeast

Corridor,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “I ride Amtrak every week to Washington. Rail is

the most reliable form of transportation, and it should be the main option for all traveling less

than 500 miles. Unfortunately, Penn Station is at capacity. By taking this step, we will be able

to add new flood-resistant rail tunnels underneath the Hudson that will double the capacity of the

Northeast Corridor. I want to thank USDOT for awarding $185 million in Hurricane Sandy

Relief funding. But we are not done yet. We must continue to fight for additional funding for

the corridor. High Speed Rail is absolutely essential for the economic viability and

competitiveness of New York and the entire Northeast.”

“The U.S. Department of Transportation is fully committed to helping the New York and

New Jersey region recover from Super Storm Sandy with funding towards rebuilding and

strengthening critical infrastructure, including the Hudson Yards project,” said U.S. Department

of Transportation Under Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “This project will pave the way for two

flood-resistant tunnels that will improve transportation options and ensure that commuters have a

back-up in the face of another super storm.”

Damage to the Northeast Corridor (NEC) during Super Storm Sandy was significant and,

in some places, unprecedented. The storm surge flooded four of six 103-year old tunnels under

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- 3 - ATK-13-105 the Hudson and East Rivers, for the first time in their history. Both Hudson River Tunnels that

serve points south of New York were flooded with 3.25 million gallons of brackish water. The

flooding of these tunnels halted all Amtrak NEC and NJ Transit service into Manhattan for about

five days, impacting nearly 600,000 daily riders and causing significant economic disruption.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) also suffered a significant loss of capacity and service due to

the flooding of two of the four East River Tunnels.

In addition to the lessons learned from Sandy, the Gateway Program has taken on

increased urgency in the past year as engineers have determined the only viable route to connect

the Gateway Tunnels directly to Penn Station, New York will intersect the Hudson Yards, where

Related/Oxford has commenced construction on a multi-billion dollar, mixed-use commercial

and residential development project.

Related/Oxford and LIRR, which owns the maintenance yard and facility also impacted

by the development project and concrete casing, have been willing and diligent partners in this

national transportation priority and homeland security project.

The NEC is at or near capacity at many locations, but nowhere is the demand greater than

in Penn Station, New York. When one or both of the current Hudson River tunnels need to be

taken out of service – such as in the wake of Super Storm Sandy or a homeland security event –

the region loses a vital economic artery and evacuation route. The two existing, 103-year-old rail

tunnels into midtown Manhattan often create a severe bottleneck as the only intercity and

commuter rail crossing into New York City from New Jersey and were shown to be vulnerable to

sea water immersion from storm surges and infiltration.

The placement of the concrete casing involves the excavation of approximately 83,000

cubic yards of soil and bedrock and will be 800 feet long, 50 feet wide and 35 feet tall. The

dimensions of the casing have been designed to ensure that the preserved right-of-way will have

sufficient space for the future construction of a two-track train tunnel.

The contractor selected is Tutor Perini Corporation of California. About Amtrak® Amtrak is America’s Railroad®, the nation’s intercity passenger rail service and its high-speed rail operator. A record 31.2 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2012 on more than 300 daily trains – at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) – that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak operates intercity trains in partnership with 15 states and contracts with 13 commuter rail agencies to provide a variety of services. Enjoy the journey® at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us at twitter.com/Amtrak.

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SEPTEMBER 2013 | Amtrak Northeast Corridor Infrastructure & Investment Development

HUDSON YARDS RIGHT-OF-WAY PRESERVATION

PROJECT OVERVIEW

With funding from Congress and the Federal Railroad Adminis-tration, Amtrak is constructing a concrete casing at the Hudson Yards in midtown Manhattan to preserve an underground right-of-way that could serve as the future alignment for the proposed Gateway Program into Penn Station, New York. The Gateway Program is a proposed set of strategic projects that will double train capacity between Newark, New Jersey, and Penn Station, New York, including two new rail tunnels under the Hudson Riv-er. Currently, 450 commuter and intercity trains enter Penn Sta-tion each day from New Jersey through the two existing Hudson River rail tunnels. These tunnels, built in 1910, are operating at capacity and are vulnerable to flooding from extreme weather events; they were closed after being inundated with salt water during Super Storm Sandy with one tunnel remaining closed for two weeks due to storm-related damages.

A STRATEGIC LOCATION

Amtrak has determined that an alignment through the Hudson Yards provides the only viable route for new Hudson River tun-nels to access Penn Station and serve existing tracks and plat-forms. Emerging from new Hudson River tunnels, the two pro-posed tracks would traverse the Hudson Yards below grade in a 50 foot wide right-of-way that pro-vides a direct connection to 18 of the 21 tracks at Penn Station. This access to the majority of tracks and platforms at Penn Station would provide a level of redundancy and universal access that would pro-vide unparalleled value to railroad operations.

A NEW FUTURE FOR THE HUDSON YARDS

In December 2012, Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group broke ground on the first office tower at the Hudson Yards, where over the next decade a total of 13 million square feet of commercial and residential space will be constructed on a platform over the rail yards, including buildings as tall as 1,250 feet, transforming the far west side of midtown Manhattan into a bustling commercial and residential district. Platform construc-tion consisting of foundation work for the commercial buildings will commence in January 2014 with structural steel erection of the platform commencing in June.

PROJECT SUMMARYTimeline September 2013 – October 2015

Funding $185 million in federal funding through the Sandy Relief Bill.

Key Players Amtrak Concrete casing project lead.Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group Lead developer of Hudson Yards Project.Tutor Perini Contractor for Related Companies & Amtrak.MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Owner of Hudson Yards.U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration Providing funding for construction of concrete casing.

Tunnel to the Empire Corridor

11th Avenue

Gateway Right-of-Way

Concrete Casing

W 30th Street

10th AvenueW 33rd Street

Right: A three-dimensional rendering of the concrete casing (in green) under construction at the Hudson Yards.

Safeguarding a Vital NEC Rail Connection to Penn Station, New York

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

NEC Infrastructure & Investment Developmentgateway@amtrak.com

RIGHT-OF-WAY PRESERVATION PROJECT DETAILS

The concrete casing is approximately 800 feet long, 50 feet wide, 35 feet tall, and will extend underground from 10th to 11th Avenues between 30th and 33rd Streets. The project will entail the excavation of approximately 83,000 cubic yards of soil and bedrock. It is anticipated that another section of concrete casing, between 11th and 12th Avenues, will need to be constructed to pro-tect the additional right-of-way in the Hudson Yards site as commercial and residential development continues west.

BENEFITS

The construction of the concrete casing will maintain the opportunity to expand passenger rail services in and out of New York City and improve the safety and reliability of rail operations. In the absence of this project, the abil-ity to meet strong growth in intercity and commuter rail travel demand west of the Hudson and throughout the Northeast Region while integrating with existing Penn Station operations would be forever lost. The project also supports Amtrak’s effort to improve resiliency to po-tential future disasters, including flooding.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is included in the project cost? The cost of this $185 million project includes: partial demolition and temporary relocation of activities in the LIRR Maintenance of Equip-ment (MOE) building at Hudson Yards, excavation for and construction of the concrete casing between 10th and 11th Avenues, reconstruc-tion of the MOE building, and project management and administra-tion.

What impact will this project have on rail operations at the Hudson Yards and Penn Station?The construction of the concrete casing will require some limited dis-ruption to the active rail yard used by LIRR for train storage, switching, and maintenance, known as the West Side Yard. Amtrak is working closely with LIRR to minimize any disruption to its services during this period that may result from the temporary removal of tracks in the rail yards or construction that would require temporary track outages. The project is not anticipated to impact commuter and intercity rail services in and out of Penn Station.

What are the next steps of the Gateway Program?In addition to the Hudson Yards Right-of-Way Preservation project, the following activities are anticipated in the next 3-5 years to ad-vance the Gateway Program beyond the conceptual planning stage.

• Early construction activities by NJ Transit and Amtrak to replace the 100-year old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River with the first of two new, high-level fixed span bridges, critical compo-nents of the Gateway Program.

• Design and construction of an anticipated next phase of the con-crete casing between 11th and 12th Avenues in coordination with the westward development of the Hudson Yards.

• Advancing the next phase of planning and engineering studies for the Gateway Program – System Design and Program Develop-ment.

• Obtaining federal project level environmental clearances for the Gateway Program as required by the National Environmental Pol-icy Act (NEPA).

Left: Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group are developing a major mixed-use commercial and residential district above the Hudson Rail Yards, prompting the need for preservation of the future Gateway Program right-of-way. (Image courtesy of Related Companies.)

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Gateway Program is a proposed series of strategic rail infrastructure improvements designed to improve current ser-vices and create new capacity that will allow the doubling of passenger trains running under the Hudson River. The program will increase track, tunnel, bridge and station capacity, eventu-ally creating four mainline tracks between Newark, New Jersey, and Penn Station, New York, including two new Hudson River tunnels. The program also includes updates to, and moderniza-tion of, existing infrastructure such as the current tunnels under the Hudson River, and the electrical system that supplies power to the roughly 450 daily trains using this segment of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.

THE GATEWAY PROGRAMCritical Capacity Expansion to the Northeast Corridor

PROJECT SUMMARYTimeline Target Completion: 2025 – 2030

Funding Amtrak received $15 million in FY 2012 and $15 million in FY 2013 through a special fund set aside in Amtrak’s federal capital appropriation to initi-ate Gateway Program planning and pre-construc-tion work. Amtrak also received $185 million in the Sandy Relief Bill for the Hudson Yards Right-of-Way Preservation Project in FY 2013.

Partners Amtrak is leading the efforts to develop initial plans for the Gateway program while recognizing that a successful program must involve Gateway’s regional and national partners.

Why is the Gateway Program needed?

The Northeast Corridor (NEC), connecting Washington, DC and Boston, MA, is at or near capacity at many locations, but no-where is the demand on the existing rail system greater than in Penn Station, New York and its associated infrastructure. The two existing, 100-year-old rail tunnels into midtown Manhattan – the only intercity passenger rail crossing into New York City from New Jersey – operate today at 95 percent capacity dur-ing rush hour, creating a severe bottleneck that limits NEC train volume across the entire rail corridor. Trains and stations are currently severely overcrowded at peak periods, and this will worsen as demand for service is projected to increase signifi-cantly by 2030. Additionally, much of the existing rail infrastruc-ture in this portion of the NEC faces reliability challenges due to age and the intensity of current use, with the potential of very significant delays when problems arise.

The vulnerability of access to Penn Station, New York was brought into national focus after Super Storm Sandy flooded the Hudson and East River tunnels severing all rail service to New York. The Gateway Program is intended to create the new infrastructure essential to hardening the system against future storms and achieving capacity and reliability-related invest-ments to meet the needs of the NEC’s operators for the next 30-50 years.

What is the current status of the Gateway Program?

The Gateway Program has taken on increased urgency in the past year as engineers have determined that the only viable alignment to connect the proposed Gateway tunnels directly to the majority of Penn Station’s existing tracks and passenger platforms intersects with the Hudson Yards development over Long Island Rail Road’s West Side Yard, where Related Com-panies and Oxford Properties Group have broken ground on a multi-billion dollar, mixed-use commercial and residential de-velopment project. Amtrak is working with the developers and the Long Island Rail Road to construct an 800-foot concrete casing that will protect this potential Gateway right-of-way to create resilient access to Penn Station, New York. Amtrak has secured $185 million in federal funding to construct this right-of-way preservation project, starting in September 2013.

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Gate

way

2025

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020

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LIRRNJTAmtrak NECEmpireMetro North

Historic and Projected Growth in Daily Penn Station, New York Train Movements 1976, 2012, and with Gateway (Illustrative)

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Amtrak Northeast Corridor Infrastructure & Investment Development

PROGRAM KEY COMPONENTS

1. New Hudson River Tunnels: Two new Hudson River intercity and commuter rail tunnels to provide redundancy for the ex-isting Hudson River tunnels that directly connect to the expanded Penn Station, New York, providing operational benefits for the existing station and increased capacity. Construction is starting in September 2013 on an 800-foot concrete casing through the mixed-use commercial and residential Hudson Yards development site in west Midtown Manhattan in order to preserve the only viable alignment for future rail tunnels into Penn Station, New York.

2. Expanded Moynihan/Penn Station, New York: An expansion of the existing Penn Station, New York tracks and platforms into a new Penn Station South facility and the creation of new concourses with direct connections to the future Moynihan Station. These improvements will support the long-term commuter and intercity passenger rail growth serving Penn Station, New York and the historic Farley Post Office Building, which is being transformed into a new Moynihan Station in New York City. The expanded Moynihan/Penn Station complex creates a consolidated Amtrak operation on Manhattan’s west side and the high level of service and connectivity required for expanded Amtrak intercity services, including the proposed next generation of high-speed rail service (NextGen HSR).

3. New Portal Bridges: Two new high-level, fixed bridges, known as North and South Portal Bridges, replacing the existing 100-year-old moveable Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River between Kearny and Secaucus, New Jersey, and doubling corridor capacity.

4. Newark-to-Secaucus Improvements: An improved Northeast Corridor between Newark and Secaucus, New Jersey, includ-ing expanding the mainline from two to four tracks between Newark and the existing tunnel portals at Bergen Palisades, better connections to the New Jersey Transit Morris and Essex Lines and various bridge upgrades.

5. Reconstruction of Existing Hudson River Tunnels: The existing Hudson River tunnels, completed in 1910 by the Pennsylva-nia Railroad, will be rebuilt and modernized once the new Hudson River tunnels are completed and rail traffic can be shifted away to allow for an extended outage. The century-old tunnels will be substantially reconstructed to meet 21-century standards for structural integrity, operations, fire and life safety, and resiliency to flooding and other potential emergencies.

New YorkMOYNIHAN / PENN STATION

Jersey City

Weehawken

Harrison

Secaucus

Kearny

Newark PENN STATION New Parallel Alignment in New Jersey New Trans-Hudson River Tunnels

Manhattan

to Philadelphia

Existing NECGateway Program: 2025-2030

Two New Portal Bridges NY

NJ

Potential FutureExtension East

Hackensack River

HudsonRiver

Expanded Secaucus Frank R. Lautenberg Station

(NJ Transit Only)

Connection to Existing NEC (Swift Interlocking)

Expanded Moynihan / Penn Station

SEPTEMBER 2013 | Amtrak Northeast Corridor Infrastructure & Investment Development

PROGRAM BENEFITS

By eliminating the bottleneck in New York and creating additional tunnel, track, and station capacity in the most congested segment on the NEC, the Gateway Program will provide greater levels of service, increased redun-dancy, added reliability for shared operations, and additional capacity for the future increases in commuter and intercity rail service.

• Increases Capacity: The Gateway Program will benefit both intercity and commuter rail passengers, as well as communities and states along the entire NEC. The program will more than double Amtrak intercity rail services and provide for up to a 75 percent increase in New Jersey Transit commuter trains to New York City using one of the most energy-efficient, environmentally friendly forms of transportation available.

• Improves Operational Reliability and Resiliency: The Gateway Program will provide essential Hudson River system redundancy and operational flexibility critical to both managing and maintain-ing the system reliably day-in and day-out and in responding to emergencies. The new Hudson River tunnels will be built to pro-vide enhanced protection from potential future storm surges and flooding, including design features such as flood gates, greater pumping capacity and redundant power supply systems, which will increase the tunnels’ resiliency in the case of emergency.

• Expands Commuter Rail Service: The Gateway Program will enable the expansion of one-seat ride opportunities to New York City for New Jersey Transit commuters – a long-standing state transportation goal. It will also support the introduction of Metro-North Railroad New Ha-ven and Hudson Line commuter services to Penn Station, New York and provide additional capacity to expand Amtrak high-speed, re-gional- and state-supported intercity services throughout the entire Northeast Region.

• Supports Next Generation High-Speed Rail: The Gateway Program improvements will enable expansion of existing Amtrak high-speed Acela Express and other intercity services, including Amtrak’s proposed 220 mph, next generation high-speed rail trains. Without the infra-structure and capacity improvements contained in the Gateway Pro-gram, it will not be possible to achieve the proposed high-speed goals.

• Boosts Economic Growth: The Gateway Program will grow the econ-omy by making business travel in the Northeast Region more conve-nient and reliable. The Gateway Program will also increase access to labor and job markets on both sides of the Hudson River for employers and employees, creating more comfortable and reliable commuting options. The expansion of high-speed Acela Express service and in-troduction of 220 mph high-speed service in the long term will shrink travel times between major cities in the Northeast Region, forging new economic linkages critical in today’s globally competitive market.

Moynihan Station: The first phase of construction is underway to turn the Farley Post Office into an expanded Moynihan/Penn Station complex, which will benefit from the connections provided by the Gateway Program.

Hudson Yards: The rapid advancement of the Hudson Yards mixed-use development project by Related Compa-nies and Oxford Properties Group requires early action to protect the Gateway tunnel alignment into Penn Station.

Portal Bridge: Elements of the Gateway Program, such as the replacement of Portal Bridge, are in final design and are ready to move forward as soon as funding is secured.

Hudson River Tunnels: The existing Hudson River tunnels are over 100 years old and require service outages every weekend to perform routine maintenance.

OTHER FAQS

What is the importance of the Gateway Program beyond New York / New Jersey?

The Gateway Program improvements in New Jersey and at Penn Station, New York will provide for future expansions of all services throughout the entire Northeast Region, including those from upstate New York, Connecticut and New England, as well as those from points south, such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Meaningful expansion of passenger rail service to and through New York City is otherwise not possible without the Gateway Program improve-ments.

Will the Gateway Program benefit commuter rail passengers in the New York area?

Yes. The Gateway Program is being designed to alleviate the capacity issues between New York and New Jersey which will benefit Amtrak passengers traveling along the Northeast Corridor and also extend those benefits to New Jersey Transit, Long Island Rail Road and potentially Metro-North Railroad commuter rail passengers, through the creation of additional hourly train move-ments in and out of Penn Station, New York and new station capacity to accommodate addi-tional trains and passengers.

Will the Gateway Program allow for a one-seat ride for NJ Transit commuters from Bergen County to New York City?

Yes. The Gateway Program is designed to allow this long-standing New Jersey transportation goal to be realized, but requires the state to make the necessary companion investments for the connection to be built.

What private sector role is expected in the Gateway Program?

Amtrak anticipates forming alliances and partnerships with both public and private sector enti-ties to fund, support and deliver the construction and operation of the Gateway Program infra-structure. Amtrak’s close consultation with Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group to preserve the Gateway tunnels right-of-way through the Hudson Yards site is one example of this.

What is the next step?

Amtrak has secured federal funding to construct an 800-foot concrete casing through the Hudson Yards that will protect the only viable right-of-way for connecting the Gateway tunnels to Penn Station, New York’s existing tracks and platforms. This project is necessary because of construc-tion that is underway by Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group of a major mixed-use development project over the Hudson Yards. Construction of the concrete casing begins in Sep-tember 2013 and is expected to last two years. Other early elements of the Gateway Program are also underway, such as the recent completion of design of Portal Bridge North. New Jersey Transit is undertaking early construction activities of this bridge in cooperation with Amtrak.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

NEC Infrastructure & Investment Development gateway@amtrak.com