NEW YORK — Amtrak service remains suspended between Albany and New York for Monday’s route.
Empire Line trains to Albany were canceled Sunday due to what Amtrak called unscheduled track closures. It came from a private building in Hell’s Kitchen, above the railroad tracks.
“I just don’t know what’s going on and it never happens,” said Amtrak pilot Nayara Lopes.
Warning tape was seen Sunday evening wrapped around the Icon parking lot on 51st Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.
“Knowing that it’s literally about the structure and the infrastructure, I mean, we can get angry at the system as a whole and say ‘You need to check this infrastructure more often,’ but it’s difficult to hold a specific person accountable. That’s the way life is,” said rider Maya Ali.
Watch Kristie Keleshian’s report
The Department of Buildings referred CBS New York to City Hall, which confirmed that the parking lot had “structural problems,” stating: “The DOB immediately issued emergency work orders and ordered the owners of the parking lot to hire an engineer to resolve the problem. “
An evacuation order and a sign posted outside the closed parking lot showed it had been closed since Friday, but Amtrak announced the cancellations Sunday afternoon.
“I mean, I’m glad they’re rerouting and taking care of it, but, yeah, I mean, the structures are getting old,” said rider Hannah Garrison.
There were long queues at the Moynihan train hall on Sunday evening due to the knock-on effects of the cancellations. Amtrak informed passengers that it was also temporarily suspending service between the city and Croton-Harmon. It issued notifications including eight canceled trains. Some are just hoping the disruptions won’t delay them at work on Monday.
Annemarie Deuel, teacher, has to arrive at work in the morning or “There are going to be sub-plans written at the last minute.”