Former New York City Transit president Andy Byford will spearhead the redevelopment of Penn Station, officials said Tuesday. 

Byford will serve as special adviser to Amtrak’s board of directors as he oversees the project, the U.S. Department of Transportation said in a release. 


What You Need To Know

  • Former New York City Transit president Andy Byford will spearhead the redevelopment of Penn Station, officials said Tuesday

  • Byford took the helm at New York City Transit in 2018, garnering widespread praise — and earning the nickname “Train Daddy” — for speeding up MTA service and making subways less crowded

  • After he left the transit authority in 2020, Byford spent more than two years leading London’s transit system

He has worked as senior vice president of high-speed rail and development at Amtrak since 2023

“We’re thrilled to have Andy oversee the redevelopment and modernization of this vital transit hub,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. “Andy shares our dedication to keeping costs down and completing this project on time.” 

Byford took the helm at New York City Transit in 2018, garnering widespread praise — and earning the nickname “Train Daddy” — for speeding up MTA service and making subways less crowded. 

But tensions between him and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo began to grow, with Byford privately complaining that Cuomo was micromanaging him. 

Byford ultimately submitted his resignation in early 2020, writing that his role had been reduced to the “day-to-day running of service.” 

After he left New York City Transit, Byford — who is from England — spent more than two years leading London’s transit system

News of Byford’s new position comes a little over a month after Duffy said Amtrak would take over the reconstruction of Penn Station, taking the project out of the hands of the MTA.  

Both Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber voiced support for the move, though Lieber noted that he expected the MTA to be involved in the renovation efforts. 

In a statement, the MTA’s chief of policy and external relations, John McCarthy, called Byford’s appointment “good news.” 

“Governor Hochul has welcomed the Trump Administration’s decision to step up and make good on its commitment to advance and finance this project,” McCarthy said. “We look forward to working with Andy Byford, who understands the importance of mass transit and was a strong supporter throughout our battle to implement congestion pricing in New York.” 

Hochul, meanwhile, released a statement reiterating her support for the federal takeover. 

“I’m very pleased to be working with the newly-appointed Andy Byford, who has a distinguished career in transit and infrastructure, and hope he is able to use those skills to deliver a beautiful, on-time, federally funded Penn Station renovation that New Yorkers can be proud of,” she said. 

“As I said weeks ago, I am grateful to see the federal government taking full control over Penn Station renovations — allowing us to redeploy $1.2 billion in State funds that had previously been allocated toward this project,” she added.