Penn Station’s foul bathrooms will get much-needed upgrades
Photo via Kev Harb on Flickr
After announcing the official end of the “summer of hell” last week, Amtrak said the next thing on their to-do list is to finally fix the disgusting and dilapidated bathrooms at Penn Station. Both men’s and women’s bathrooms at the busiest transit center in the country will be refurbished beginning this fall, as the New York Times reported.
For years, the restrooms at Penn have elicited negative, almost emotional, responses from anyone who used them. Not only are the fixtures outdated and usually broken, there are simply not enough stalls to serve the nearly 650,000 daily commuters that travel through the station. Fox TV personality, Tucker Carlson, once fumed at New York City Councilman Corey Johnson during a televised interview in May: “Dead serious question: Have you been in the men’s room in Penn Station?” Carlson continued, “Normal people use the men’s room in the train station and yours are disgusting. Why don’t you get on those bathrooms?”
Co-chief executive of Amtrak, Wick Moorman, announced on Tuesday that the bathrooms will be fixed by the end of the year. Moorman told the Times that Amtrak had hired a contractor and plans are in the works, but no design has been finalized. The company does know that port-a-potties will most likely be brought in during the repair work.
In addition to the bathroom improvements, Amtrak will also work on modernizing the interiors of its Northeast and Midwest train fleet. This fall, roughly 450 train cars will get brand new seat cushions and carpeting. Better LED lighting and bathrooms are also planned for the cars. According to Amtrak, the total investment is valued at more than $16 million and will take more than 9 months to complete.
“Amtrak is committed to offering a premium customer experience and these modernized interior features are a marked improvement in the overall ambiance on board,” Moorman said in a press release. “The upgrades offer customers what they told us they want more of during their travels – a more comfortable, refreshed look and feel.”
[Via NY Times]
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