I’m not down with the emphasis on “Moynihan Station,” though. As Zullig said, it wouldn’t do much to actually improve transportation. It’s a big empty symbol.

The grand new train stations in Europe are impressive because they symbolize the massive improvements in passenger rail capacity. Without that, a big station is a symbol of nothing except the guilty consciences of architecture lovers.

I’m okay with spending $3 billion to build a new Penn Station – if we spend more than $3 billion to actually tie the various systems together and create a true regional network. Hell, if we spent a billion stringing catenary on the Port Washington Line to allow through-running to Trenton or Dover, I’d be for it. But $3 billion for a big hall that’s a block west of where anyone needs to go? Let’s spend the money on something real.

You need to get out of the US more often. Our transport system is totally Third World and former Third World cities in Central America and Asia are cleaning our clocks. As Jim Kunstler like to say, “We have a national rail system the Bulgarians would be ashamed of.”

meanwhile in ny, we’ve learned to settle – trains are assumed to come late, platform flooding during rain is the norm, and subway service on weekends is a total disaster, for the few trains that ARE running. the subway stations r giant ovens during the summer and overcrowding is only going get worse.

yes, our system is one of the oldest. it’s also opened 24 hours unlike many other systems (altho btw the delays and spotty service, there’s really not much of a difference), but still, what we have now is far from what we deserve.

unfortunately the problems are deep rooted and would require a major overhaul – from city agencies, the mta, the state, and the public.

That’s what I’ve learned in a dozen or so trips to Europe: Beauty is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. Try life with and without it and you’ll see what I mean.

Penn Station needs to be what James Howard Kunstler would refer to as a place worth caring about. Making it one would heal the wound of the original Penn Station’s tragic demolition. This was one of the most horrific events in the history of the city.

It’s self defeating to suggest that we have to do without either good station design or good network performance. The Europeans don’t think that way. Settling for less would simply be, like the death of the old Penn Station, another tragic mistake.

I lived in a real third world country for about three years, and when friends from NYC would ask how primitive it was there, my reply would be: They’re still using internal combustion automobiles!

Also, I for one hope MSG has NOTHING to do with this. Please, let the Garden stay put. There’s absolutely no natural reason our train station should be paired with a sports complex.

I say get it out of that man’s hands, and we might have a good chance of getting it completed. He’s like the grim reaper when it comes to big projects in the city.

Have I used enough cliches? Sorry.