Penn Station Tunnels Receiving Major Upgrades

[Amfleet]

Unless you’re a firefighter, the term “standpipe” is probably foreign to you. The water-carrying pipes are, however, life-saving devices in confined spaces – especially the tunnels Amtrak uses getting into New York City.
The impact both Hudson River and the four East River tunnels have on New York City’s economy and its surrounding areas is significant. Considering the complexity of the tunnel system, the infrastructure must support rail traffic under every conceivable circumstance, railroaders explain.

Full article can be found here.

 

[tp49]

I have a couple fo friends on Rescue 1 FDNY. They complained about the ventilation and other issues with the tunnels for years (particularly the East River tubes). They always said that if a train caught fire in the tunnel because of the lack of proper ventilation and extreme difficulty in getting water to the fire that the results would be catastrophic. Thus it's good to see that all of the agencies involved are taking an active role in improving public saftey in the tunnels.