All Aboard the Trump Train with Train Daddy
Train Daddy is back in the Big Apple! Former NYC Transit President Andy Byford has been handpicked by President Donald Trump to lead the much-anticipated redevelopment of Penn Station, according to White House officials on Friday. It looks like Byford will be at the helm of one of the most high-profile construction projects in the country, so get ready for some action-packed updates!
Byford is no stranger to the transit game, having worked for Amtrak since 2023, spearheading the agency’s efforts to build high-speed rail networks (which, by the way, got partially defunded by the Trump administration). The man knows his way around trains, that’s for sure. Rumor has it that Byford and Trump had a little pow-wow at the White House, and now he’s set to take charge of the Penn Station revamp, a project that was initially supposed to be handled by MTA Chair Janno Lieber until he got the boot from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Looks like Amtrak is taking the reins now!
Train Daddy made a name for himself in New York City when he took over the subway and bus networks in 2018, turning things around after the infamous “summer of hell” that left commuters pulling their hair out. He even played a role in getting state lawmakers to sign off on congestion pricing, a toll system for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street. And let’s not forget his iconic nickname, “Train Daddy,” given to him by adoring subway riders. But alas, Byford bid adieu to the MTA in early 2020 after Cuomo shook things up and handed construction control over to Lieber. Before his return to the U.S., Byford ran London’s transport systems like a pro.
Not really sure why this matters, but Trump has been keeping a close eye on Penn Station ever since his return to the White House. Some of his pals are pushing for a more “traditional” design for the station, complete with Greco-Roman columns. The future of Penn Station, the busiest hub in North America, is a hot topic of debate. Amtrak bigwigs have been pushing for a southern expansion that would involve tearing down a whole city block. But hold your horses! Byford swooped in with a game-changing idea: through-running, a plan to streamline NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road services to avoid unnecessary stops and turnarounds at Midtown. Layla Law-Gisiko, president of the City Club of New York, is over the moon about Byford’s proposal, calling it a game-changer for Penn Station.
The plot thickens as Amtrak has been CEO-less since March when Stephen Gardner stepped down. Byford, being a British national, can’t snag the CEO title, which is reserved for U.S. citizens only. The Transport Workers Union’s John Samuelsen is all praises for Byford, suggesting he should take the wheel at the entire MTA in New York. State Assemblymember Tony Simone, whose district covers Penn Station, sees Byford as a top-notch transportation leader. But Simone isn’t holding his breath for Trump and his reality TV transportation secretary to work miracles on the project. It’s a wild ride ahead for Train Daddy and the future of Penn Station, so buckle up and stay tuned for more twists and turns!
