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An article in the NY Post discusses the new developers and designers of the decade old revitalization of the Farrley Post Office turning it into the Danial Moynihan Transportation Center. The Post Office was the sister building of the origional Late Great Pennyslvania Station. For those who remember or have seen pictures of the old station we have been hopping this plan would happen. The article mentions that both New Jersey Path trains and Long Island Railroad will be included in the space. The original plans seemed to just have Amtrak use the Post Office area with the commuter lines remaining in the "Basement" station. Let me know your thoughts and any memories of the old station.
George Harris Member # 2077
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This monstrosity has been discussed several times elsewhere. Actually, the closer you look the worse this thing looks. How do you spell "boodoggle"? Maybe it is easier just to spell "pork". This seems to do little to really benefit the passenger, but a lot to benefit the pockets of a few people in New York. this is not what you do if you are trying to get as much bang for your buck as practical.
George
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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Mr. Harris,
Have you been to either Grand Central or Penn Station recently? They are packed at rush hour and both PATH and the LIE need platform space. The Post Office doesn't need all the space. The building can not be torn down due to Landmark statues but it can redesigned inside. The area has never been developed going back to the days of the origional Station. These grand stations have always been great advertisments for rail travel, unfortunatly when the Rail Barons started building these stations outside the commercial areas;see Detroit, Buffalo etc. they became obsolete when long distance travel fell off. As far as the actual Rail System I'd like to see them add tracks to get the Acela to make train travel between Boston and Washington time competitive with both airlines and cars. Many cities have revitalized there old stations merging public retail spaces with the trains and will be more revenue in then a Stadium or Arena.
George Harris Member # 2077
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Tanner, what you are saying is part of it. So far as I know there will be litle or nothing done in the way of inproving flow of people or trains. Conversely, one report I read stated that the walking distance for the long distance passengers, at least would be increased. I would really like to see the plans rather than opinions about them.
George
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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By the way you spell it boondoggle i believe. lol. In the design I have seen in Hillary Ballons book on the history of the Penn Station the origional plan for the Post Office was I believe just for Amtrak, the new plans seem to include the commuter lines. Penn Station is the countrys busiest train station. The traffic is due to the commuters comming in from NJ and Long Island and need the space and platform additions. Both rail lines have spent money over the past decade to upgrade their ticket and waiting areas and are still overcrowded. Perhaps PATH and LIE can move to the Post Office and leave Amtrak with its basement.
I have always found it odd that the only pictures saved from the Old Penn Station was of the Long Distance areas. I've only seen a single photo of the old Long Island waiting room, there does not seem to be views of the old commuter areas.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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True Mr. Harris, I would like to see the plans but it seems like there is alot of room to work with. As is passangers don't exactly flow freely in its current state. Perhaps there might be a bit of a longer walk to the LD's but the current make up doesn't even have a ramp from the street and unless you really are familiar with the area it can be difficult to even recognize the entrances to the station and track area.
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