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I think the first sentence of the third paragraph in that linked article is the most important: "When that tunnel would be built is still unknown because federal funding has not been approved."
 
The Amtrak news release that the link goes to is a 9 page PDF which explains what the tunnel box is for, provides the latest summary of the concepts for the Gateway project and states what are the steps for the next 3-5 years. Early construction on the North Portal Bridge, design and construction of the next phase of the tunnel box or casing between 11th and 12th Avenues, ongoing engineering studies, design & NEPA for the entire project. If Amtrak can get the funding for those steps.

Sandy mitigation funds may pay for the next phase of the tunnel box. Amtrak will have to dredge up the funds for the engineering and environmental work somehow. Maybe leftover HSIPR funds to carry the PE and NEPA through September, 2017? And please, Andrew, refrain from posting more questions about the Gateway project that no one can answer. The project is going to go through a long slow PE and NEPA process which will take years before much of anything visible happens.
 
New York City and Boston have an intense rivalry dating back to the early days of Babe Ruth. Boston trade (sold?) the Babe to the NY Yankees and the rest is history.

The two cities compete with each other in many arenas. A few years ago Boston claimed the title for the biggest boondoggle in the history of the USA. It was called the "Big Dig". A constuction project which took forever and came in millions of dollars over budget. Yes, Boston holds that record.

New York is aware of that. Look for them to take that record and bring it home to New York City. This project has disaster written all over it. The only thing in doubt is what it's going to be called. It will need a name. I wouldn't doubt if one of the AU members come up with an appropriate "handle". LOL!
 
Relax Jis, it was meant to be humorous. But, as they say, much truth is said in jest. Time will tell.
 
It is interesting how that topic mentions that Amtrak is looking into extending the tunnel box west towards 12th avenue; they just do not mention whether the tunnel box will end up at 30th street or 31st and 12th avenue...
 
Does the contract with Tutor Perini include connecting the Tunnel Box with the throat that leads into Penn Station from the East Side of 10th Avenue?
 
It is interesting how that topic mentions that Amtrak is looking into extending the tunnel box west towards 12th avenue; they just do not mention whether the tunnel box will end up at 30th street or 31st and 12th avenue...
For the umpteenth time.... Look at this diagram (from Drew Galloway's presentation at NYMTC) and figure it out for yourself.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/y0hgykrweg0n7ov/Gateway.PNG

So where do you suppose the tunnel box will go, assuming that the tracks must run through the tunnel box? The tracks of interest are the ones shown in purple/pink (depending on the color resolution you get) Of course how far it will be cut and cover and from where it will be a bored tunnel will determine how far the tunnel box will have to be built. I doubt that it will be built all the way out to 12th Ave, since the interlocking chamber under 12th Ave and the riverfront are pretty deep..... almost as deep as the #7 line.

As for whether the tunnel box will be built out to the Penn Station bathtub, maybe, maybe not. There is no need to protect an RoW under 10th Ave. In any case if you find them digging up 10th Ave you'll know that they are doing that now. They can always dig that part of the tunnel later.

You can see the whole presentation at: www.nymtc.org/download_file.cfm?filename=13-11-14_Galloway_Gateway_NYMTC.pdf
 
That's an excellent link.

Do you mean Interlocking Chamber for access to the "Lower Level" or an interlocking chamber that will enable the trains to operate bidirectionally within the new tunnels?

On that station slide, is there just one level between the new commuter platforms and street level, or two (as there currently are in Penn Station)?
 
Do you mean Interlocking Chamber for access to the "Lower Level" or an interlocking chamber that will enable the trains to operate bidirectionally within the new tunnels?
Apparently they intend to make accommodation for the bell-mouths that will be need to eventually construct the lower level at around that point. There will also be a ventilation tower just about there. There may be a crossover built there west of the potential bell mouth to allow trains to cross over from one tunnel to the other. I don't know for sure. I will ask Drew or Al when I see them next.
On that station slide, is there just one level between the new commuter platforms and street level, or two (as there currently are in Penn Station)?
The slide shows just the lower level, and does not say what will be there at the upper level. For the NJT eastside concourse possibly only the mid-level cross corridor will be extended. For the others I suspect both level will get extended, but then again, at present access to tracks 1 through 4 is mostly from the lower level only at the west side (main Amtrak) concourse.
 
Do you mean Interlocking Chamber for access to the "Lower Level" or an interlocking chamber that will enable the trains to operate bidirectionally within the new tunnels?
Apparently they intend to make accommodation for the bell-mouths that will be need to eventually construct the lower level at around that point. There will also be a ventilation tower just about there. There may be a crossover built there west of the potential bell mouth to allow trains to cross over from one tunnel to the other. I don't know for sure. I will ask Drew or Al when I see them next.
On that station slide, is there just one level between the new commuter platforms and street level, or two (as there currently are in Penn Station)?
The slide shows just the lower level, and does not say what will be there at the upper level. For the NJT eastside concourse possibly only the mid-level cross corridor will be extended. For the others I suspect both level will get extended, but then again, at present access to tracks 1 through 4 is mostly from the lower level only at the west side (main Amtrak) concourse.
"Lower Level" as in the the concourse right above the Tracks?
 
Is Amtrak looking at this because they think that it would reduce disruption to surface level?
 
Thanks for posting the link to the latest presentation. Had not seen slide 17 with the upper level concourse section view before. Fitting in the NYP South extension will be an impressive challenge and feat in engineering and construction if it gets built.
1. Is Amtrak looking at this because they think that it would reduce disruption to surface level?

2. You never know, Deep-Level may get chosen...
 
As I said, neither the project manager nor the chief engineer thinks so. Maybe you should have a chat with them and point out the error of their ways. :p

I know that the users and the general rail advocates would raise holy hell about it. The depth of the 34th St. station was one of their big complaints, and the other complaint was no connection to the existing Penn Station. If only the deep station is chosen then you can rest assured there will be no connection to the current Penn Station and the tunnel box will be used for a nice large underground warehouse, since there will be no other use for it. The only possibility of a deep level station being built is as an add on to the shallow level station, and not the other way round. Or so say folks like the author of that slideset. What do I know? ;)
 
1. The bottom of the tunnel box is supposed to have depths of 54 feet at 32nd and 10th avenue, and 72 feet at 31st and 11th avenue. I would assume that this tunnel box would have a depth of 90 feet at 30th street and 12th avenue, which is supposed to be the entrance of the new Gateway Tunnels into Manhattan. Assuming this tunnel box gets connected to Penn Station's throat, then, potentially, trains coming from New Jersey can have an option of going into the current Penn Station or into Block 780. The interlocking chambers can be located at 12th avenue. If tunnels proceeded east from 12th avenue into Block 780, then new platforms can be created at about 90 feet below street level, and the current Commuter Concourses can be extended South. Thus, new and wide stairwells/escalators can enable commuters to reach the new platforms from the extended Commuter Rail Concourse. 2. Gateway can use ARC's alignment from Kearny to the Bergen Portals. Gateway is apparently on a new alignment between mid river into Manhattan. But, what about the alignment between the Bergen Portals and mid river?
 
Is Amtrak's Tunnel Box beneath Hudson Yards proceeding according to schedule?

What about Phase 2 of the Tunnel Box?
 
Well, there are some answers now to the endless questions about the tunnel box extension from our guest poster Andrew. Not sure which thread to post this to, because he started so many, but this one has more on-topic posts.

The Environmental Assessment for the concrete casing extension was posted to the FRA website eLibrary last week. Link to the document page: Hudson Yards Concrete Casing Construction Supplemental Environmental Assessment (154 page, 5 MB pdf)

Extended excerpts from the report to summarize the project scope:

The proposed underground concrete casing extension (Extension) involves construction of an underground rectangular structure 605 feet long, between 50 and 65 feet wide and between 27 and 38 feet tall in the Western Rail Yard of the Hudson Yards.

Ok, Amtrak needs to build the extension in 2015 or there could be problems. The positive aspect of the deadline is that it forces Amtrak and all the federal and state agencies involved to fund and get the project done rather than spend 10 years doing studies and getting approvals.

As part of construction of the concrete casing in the Eastern Rail Yard, a portion of LIRR’s Maintenance of Equipment (MOE) building was demolished and the tracks that lead to it, tracks 0 and 1, were temporarily removed from service. The MOE building is scheduled to be substantially complete at the same location by October 2015. Construction of the portion of the Extension under the 11th Avenue bridge would also require tracks 0 and 1 to be taken out of service, thus it is critical to time the Extension construction with the MOE building reconstruction to ensure that these tracks will be placed back in service by the time the MOE building is back in use. Construction of the portion of the Extension under the 11th Avenue bridge must begin by February 2015 to meet the October 2015 deadline to have the MOE building and ancillary tracks 0 and 1 back in service.

Not a simple or small project

No permanent operational components, such as tracks, lighting, ventilation, or electrical systems, would be constructed as part of the proposed action. Minor, temporary systems, such as sump pumps, lighting, and ventilation, would be installed in the casing during construction. The Hudson Yards facility is an active rail yard used by MTA and LIRR for train storage, switching, maintenance, and ancillary LIRR operations. Amtrak would acquire both an easement from MTA for construction of the ROW in the Western Rail Yard and an easement from New York City for the portion of the ROW under the 11th Avenue bridge. Construction of the Extension would require:

 Temporary removal from service of yard tracks 0 and 1 that lead to LIRR’s MOE building for the portion of the Extension under the 11th Avenue bridge. Tracks 0 and 1 are currently out of service and removed due to construction of the concrete casing in the Eastern Rail Yard.
 Temporary relocation and replacement of utilities supported by and under the 11th Avenue bridge (storm/sanitary sewer, electric, water, gas) and signals/communications.
 Excavation of approximately 66,000 cubic yards of soil and 14,000 cubic yards of rock.
 Demolition of LIRR’s Emergency Services Building in the Western Rail Yard, temporary relocation of Emergency Services Building functions, and reconstruction to its original condition following completion of the Extension.
 Demolition of the structural support system (two roadway spans and one pier) for the 11th Avenue bridge along with restriction of traffic over half of the bridge at a time and reconstruction of the bridge supports and restoration of traffic.
 Temporary underpinning of the High Line.

How deep is the concrete casing extension?

The depth of excavation for the Extension varies along the alignment. Excavation for the eastern end of the Extension under the 11th Avenue bridge would reach approximately 60 feet below ground surface (bgs), while excavation at the western end of the Extension (near 30th Street under the High Line) would be between 58 and 70 feet bgs (Gateway Trans-Hudson Partnership, 2013). The newly constructed tunnel for the Number 7 line, which will likely be in service in early 2015 and is operated by MTA New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), runs approximately 30 feet below the bottom of the proposed Extension for the portion of the Extension beneath the 11th Avenue bridge.
 
By the way, we Bostonians very much appreciate all your help in funding our Big Dig. It has vastly improved traffic flow and sightlines to the harbor. Thanks everyone.

(But we ain't using OUR tax dollars to help any other metropolitan projects.)

... just kidding, folks.
 
Yeah, the crooks in Boston that pulled that one off could give the Vegas,New York and Jersey slicksters lessons on how to skim money out of taxpayers pockets without going to jail!
 
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