Current Operation
The East River Tunnels are currently owned by Amtrak and are electrified by both third rail and overhead catenary. Diesel-powered locomotives are not allowed in the tunnels except in emergency because of ventilation concerns, so the LIRR uses DM30AC dual-mode locomotives to power a few trains from non-electrified lines into and out of Penn Station during rush hours.
The four lines under the river are numbered south to north, Lines 1 and 2 running beneath 32nd St and Lines 3 and 4 under 33rd St. Eastward trains tend to use Lines 1 and 3, so to bring the two eastward lines together Line 3 crosses beneath Line 2 underground a few hundred feet west of the east end of the Line 2 tunnel.
East portal Lines 1-3: 40°44′34″N 73°56′42″W / 40.7429°N 73.9450°W / 40.7429; -73.9450
East portal Line 2:40°44′32″N 73°56′54″W / 40.7421°N 73.9483°W / 40.7421; -73.9483
East portal Line 4: 40°44′35″N 73°56′45″W / 40.74305°N 73.94585°W / 40.74305; -73.94585
Approaching Harold Interlocking from the west, the four tracks are Lines 1-3-2-4 south to north (with three LIRR tracks between Lines 2 and 3, and Sunnyside Yard approach tracks here and there). East of Harold, Lines 1-3 become LIRR Main Line Tracks 4-2 south to north, while Lines 2-4 become LIRR Main Line Track 3 and the westward Port Washington main. (Harold was rearranged in 1990; until then Lines 2-4 became the westward Port Washington and the westward Hell Gate track.)
Read more about this topic: East River Tunnels
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