Three key items will be discussed:

– Next steps to halt NJ Transit’s deep cavern dead end terminal station 175 feet below 34th Street and advance ARC Penn Station First — a plan for connecting the new Hudson River passenger rail tunnels directly into existing tracks and platforms at Moynihan/Penn Station.

– Update by IRUM’s intern Jack Massey on assembling a regionwide data base on Regional Rail equipment, plant and operations.

– Comments on drafts of MTA Capital Program 2010-2014 and MTA Twenty Year Capital Needs Assessment 2010-2029. Both documents are available at MTA’s website. Regional Rail, thru-running at Penn Station and "interoperability" are key investments discussed in these plans.

Time permitting, there will be progress reports on other RRWG initiatives:
1. moving forward on the Penn Station Metro-Hub plan
2. Rockaway Cut-off – one-seat ride Midtown Manhattan-Aqueduct Racino-JFK Airport and Rockaway Peninsula
3. regional rail equipment compatibility issues
4. Upper Level Loop Alternative for LIRR East Side Access
5. Lower Manhattan Access
6. Light Rail in the Lincoln Tunnel
7. Regional Rail Freight and Intercity Rail Passenger issues

The purpose of the working group is to develop and advance plans for converting the region’s commuter rail lines into a regional rail system, with fast, frequent service and affordable, integrated fares. The group also considers changes to rapid transit and light rail transit that are "regional" in scale.

Regional Rail issues are discussed on our website.

On the website please note read comments presented at NYCDCP hearing on Hudson Yards rezoning –click on "current projects" and then "West Midtown Manhattan Opportunities"

The Working Group includes: Empire State Passengers Association NJ Association of Railroad Passengers Lackawanna Coalition Five Towns Rural Transit, Inc. Committee for Better Transit Institute for Rational Urban Mobility Sane Aviation for Everyone, Inc. (SAFE) (our newest participant)