In recent years, riders of Amtrak’s Adirondack Line have faced multiple challenges, from pandemic-related suspensions to sudden summer closures. Now, starting next month, passengers traveling from New York City to upstate destinations should brace for more delays.Democratic assemblyman Billy Jones of NY District 115 voiced the concerns of his constituents, stating, “We just want the service to be consistent and to have our residents have access to that service in a consistent manner. And that’s not what we’ve been getting.”Amtrak has announced that it will reduce three of its daily round trips between the Albany region and New York City. Travelers headed north of the capital region will experience layovers of at least 90 minutes. These disruptions are due to ongoing construction near the East River tunnels, which will reduce the number of trains able to pass between Penn Station and Queens, New York.The ripple effects of these changes are already being felt by local businesses across the North Country. From ski lodges to downtown Plattsburgh shops, many worry that reduced train service will hurt their customer flow.Lauren Garfield, marketing manager at Whiteface Mountain, shared her concerns: “It’s definitely a concern. There aren’t a lot of public transportation methods to get to our region from the metro New York area easily. So, we don’t want to lose any one of them.”Local business owner Carolyn Tetreault, who runs “A Beautiful Mess,” in Plattsburgh echoed the sentiment.“Having that bonus of people traveling from afar just adds to our sales and such. So, to see something else that’s going to cut into that is kind of disappointing,” said Tetreault.SUNY Plattsburgh also weighed in on the issue, releasing a statement expressing their disappointment over the service reductions. “We have many students who utilize Amtrak to travel to and from SUNY Plattsburgh from their homes. This will inconvenience them greatly. However, this may mean more may rely on bus service,” the university noted.Amid growing concerns, Jones has called on both Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation to collaborate on a solution to mitigate the impact of these service disruptions.Despite the setbacks, some local leaders remain cautiously optimistic. Garfield, from Whiteface Mountain, added, “If it’s renting a car or taking a bus instead or just making do with any delays on that Amtrak side, I think we’ll still have a great season.”Tetreault added that downtown businesses are resilient: “We kind of band together and try to help each other… to get through things and move forward.”The construction project is expected to last three years, though it remains unclear how long train schedules will be affected.
In recent years, riders of Amtrak’s Adirondack Line have faced multiple challenges, from pandemic-related suspensions to sudden summer closures. Now, starting next month, passengers traveling from New York City to upstate destinations should brace for more delays.
Democratic assemblyman Billy Jones of NY District 115 voiced the concerns of his constituents, stating, “We just want the service to be consistent and to have our residents have access to that service in a consistent manner. And that’s not what we’ve been getting.”
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Amtrak has announced that it will reduce three of its daily round trips between the Albany region and New York City. Travelers headed north of the capital region will experience layovers of at least 90 minutes.
These disruptions are due to ongoing construction near the East River tunnels, which will reduce the number of trains able to pass between Penn Station and Queens, New York.
The ripple effects of these changes are already being felt by local businesses across the North Country. From ski lodges to downtown Plattsburgh shops, many worry that reduced train service will hurt their customer flow.
Lauren Garfield, marketing manager at Whiteface Mountain, shared her concerns: “It’s definitely a concern. There aren’t a lot of public transportation methods to get to our region from the metro New York area easily. So, we don’t want to lose any one of them.”
Local business owner Carolyn Tetreault, who runs “A Beautiful Mess,” in Plattsburgh echoed the sentiment.
“Having that bonus of people traveling from afar just adds to our sales and such. So, to see something else that’s going to cut into that is kind of disappointing,” said Tetreault.
SUNY Plattsburgh also weighed in on the issue, releasing a statement expressing their disappointment over the service reductions.
“We have many students who utilize Amtrak to travel to and from SUNY Plattsburgh from their homes. This will inconvenience them greatly. However, this may mean more may rely on bus service,” the university noted.
Amid growing concerns, Jones has called on both Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation to collaborate on a solution to mitigate the impact of these service disruptions.
Despite the setbacks, some local leaders remain cautiously optimistic. Garfield, from Whiteface Mountain, added, “If it’s renting a car or taking a bus instead or just making do with any delays on that Amtrak side, I think we’ll still have a great season.”
Tetreault added that downtown businesses are resilient: “We kind of band together and try to help each other… to get through things and move forward.”
The construction project is expected to last three years, though it remains unclear how long train schedules will be affected.
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