Amtrak details plans for new Penn station.

David Carol, vice president of High Speed Rail for Amtrak, is optimistic that capital improvements to the Northeast Corridor totaling $12 billion over 25 years will benefit the region's infrastructure and ridership, while creating construction industry jobs.

Addressing leaders of the design, construction and real estate industry at the New York Building Congress Breakfast Forum, Carol noted that the New York metropolitan area will be the focus for a large portion of capital spending by Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor, which he described as badly in need of expansion and recapitalization.

One project in particular, championed in Congress by Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, is a proposed $300 million Amtrak passenger station in New York City to be located in what presently is the James A. Farley Post Office on Eighth Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets.

In discussing a new Penn Station, Carol emphasized recent Amtrak station renovations in Philadelphia, Boston and especially Washington, D.C. which, with its cinemas, shopping and restaurants, has provided a tremendous economic boost to the area. Carol envisions the same result in New York.

"The goal of the James A. Farley project is to separate commuter passengers from inter city passengers. People who ride Amtrak generally arrive earlier for the trains and tend to stay in the terminals longer," Carol said.

President Richard Anderson said the Building Congress endorses the project which, he believes, will boost New York City's economy. "An attractive and convenient gateway for rail passengers entering New York will help encourage mass transit use and increase travel and tourism, an industry which generates more than $14 billion in economic activity in the city each year," Anderson said.

The Farley project, with construction scheduled to begin next year and to be completed by the year 2000, would coincide with Amtrak plans to put a new generation of high-speed trains in service on the Northeast Corridor.

Amtrak recently has received Federal approval for the $1.7 billion high-speed rail project between New York and Boston. The project calls for 26 high-speed rail train sets which eventually will reach speeds of 150 miles per hour. Carol estimates that speed will cut the transit time between New York and Boston to three hours.

In addition to greater speed, Amtrak expects to lure more business travelers by installing fax machines, computer outlets and conference rooms to provide meeting space. "The goal for the high-speed rail is to make it an office on wheels," Carol said.

Carol acknowledged Amtrak's poor perception with the general public. In fact, focus groups, assembled to discuss the high speed rail, told Amtrak officials to disassociate from the familiar Amtrak "red, white and blue" and market the trains as a whole new product. Carol admitted that in Amtrak's present form as a part private, part government entity, it has tried to "be everything to everyone, and as a result, failed to meet expectations."

In answer to a question from Anderson, Carol said that American high speed rail lags behind European rail systems, which have had high speed trains in use for years, because the United States government has not been as committed to promoting railroad development and therefore, has not provided nearly the same amount of funding as in Europe.

Amtrak is reorganizing its operations into three strategic business units, consisting of the Northeast Corridor, the West Coast and Inter City. Improvements in the Northeast Corridor will result. Carol said, in an increase in construction jobs for the region. He also hopes to see Amtrak use more outside contracting of engineers.

Projects slated for the New York area include.

* Tunnel renovations under the Hudson and East River, including a $20 million HVAC upgrade to the Hudson River tunnel;

* A near-term $300-$500 million life-safety improvement program;

* A $2-$3 million construction management program for Penn Station and related tunnel improvements to be bid this year;

* A $70 million plan to build a new and expanded concourse for New Jersey Amtrak.

All of these projects, Carol noted, are dependent upon Congress, which currently funds all of Amtrak's capital improvements. In addition, while Congress subsidizes Amtrak with approximately $400 million in operating support, continuation is contingent upon whether Congress decides to completely privatize Amtrak, make it a wholly government agency or go with any variation in between.