Amtrak officially reopened East River Tunnel (ERT) Line 2 in New York this week after completing the first major phase of the ERT Rehabilitation Project.
Over the past year, crews completely reconstructed the 116-year-old tunnel’s interior systems, including repair of the tunnel liner; conversion from ballasted track to a modern, direct fixation track system; and the replacement of power, drainage and communications systems.
The work involved the demolition, removal, and replacement of significantly deteriorated infrastructure and the construction of new bench walls designed to improve safety, maintenance access, and operational performance.
In total, more than 7.315km of rail, 8,000 tons of ballast, 8,000 wooden rail ties, and 18,290m3 of bench wall concrete were removed and replaced.
Amtrak interim president Byl Herrmann said the reopening reflected Amtrak’s progress in rebuilding critical infrastructure while maintaining service on the Northeast Corridor.
“Reopening Line 2 of the East River Tunnel restores a vital transportation link and positions it to serve rail passengers for another 100 years. We appreciate the strong support of the Federal Railroad Administration and close co-ordination with our partners throughout the project, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration as we begin rehabilitation of the second and final tunnel tube,” he said.
Skanska / EJ Electric Joint Venture is delivering the project and will start the major rehabilitation of Line 1 in the autumn.
The project is expected to be completed late next year.
