Just How Unsafe Really Is Amtrak in New York’s Penn Station?

Rail road commuters from New Jersey to New York rely on the services of Amtrak from the Penn Station. In the past couple of months, commuters were horrified to encounter two incidents of derailments aboard the Amtrak trains. Most commuters were disappointed and inconvenienced by derailments which were clearly a result of poor track maintenance. As the busiest hub in New York City, the Penn station caters to thousands of commuters on a daily basis. So when there is a breakdown of service at the station, the ripple effect will be felt across other stations. As the owners of the Penn Station, Amtrak is expected to ensure that the rails are in perfect condition as well as safe for commuters.

Most people note that the two recent derailments could have been easily avoided if the management were keen on their job. In addition, several engineers from Amtrak have admitted that they were aware of the faulty tracks. However, when they reported the matter, the management never followed up on the issue, which was clearly a safety hazard. Accounts from several commuters indicate that they are beginning to lose confidence in Amtrak.

The recent derailments at the Penn station have been strongly condemned by the city’s officials as well as commuters. Amtrak has come under attack as being negligent and inefficient when it comes to delivering services. According to commuters, the two incidences are evidence that Amtrak is failing in providing sufficient maintenance to the tracks, which is part of their obligation.
In defence of Amtrak, the CEO Wick Moorman, stated that the tracks were up for regular repair later in the year. However, he notes the incidents have served as an eye-opener to the poor state of the Penn station, which has prompted immediate action from the management. Unfortunately, commuters will have to endure limited services at the Penn station as Amtrak embarks on the badly needed upgrades. Clearly, Amtrak will have to work extra hard to rebuild their customers’ confidence in their service.