Hudson River Rail Excursions is heartbroken to announce that, due to upcoming operational changes at Amtrak, our Hudson day trips are going on an indefinite hiatus. This news is devastating to all of us who have worked so hard to build this program over the past four years.

Read more about our upcoming hiatus.

Why can’t Amtrak accomodate Hudson River Rail Excursions?

Amtrak is undertaking a major refurbishment of the East River Tunnels, which connect Penn Station in Manhattan with Queens, Long Island, and the Northeast Corridor to Boston. One at a time, each of the four tubes will be shut down for more than a year get a full upgrade. To compensate for the reduced capacity, Amtrak has made major changes to Empire Service trains. The trains to which our cars were previously attached, trains 233 and 244, now require a locomotive on either end of the train, and change directions in Penn Station, rather than heading into Sunnyside Yard to turn around on a loop. This means that we cannot add cars to the end of these trains for the foreseeable future.

What can be done?

While we fully support these essential infrastructure upgrades, we believe it’s possible to have both progress and preservation. Our ask of Amtrak is simple. We wish to see trains 233 and 244 returned to standard single-ended operation to accommodate our historic cars. Alternatively, URHS wishes to work with Amtrak to explore options for private charters, provided they can be operated at reasonable expense. We thank Amtrak sincerely for the dedication they will show in getting Hudson River Rail back on the road.