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SOME BAD NEWS FOR AMTRAK RIDERS. TRAINS ARE EXPECTED TO FACE DELAYS DUE TO CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA – IMPACTING PASSENGERS COMING NORTH. NBC5’S BENNY NEZAJ has been talking to local businesses and destinations and joins us now live with a look at how this could impact the REGION’S ECONOMY. JACK AND LIZ, THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVEN’T BEEN IDEAL FOR RIDERS OF AMTRAK’S ADIRONDACK LINE. FIRST IT WAS THE PANDEMIC FOLLOWED BY UNEXPECTED CLOSURES THE LAST TWO SUMMERS. BUT STARTING NEXT MONTH, DELAYS ARE EXPECTED FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE TRAIN UP HERE FROM NEW YORK CITY. (CENTER LOGO WIPE) (NAT SOUND) TRAIN NOISE (VO) AMTRAK TROUBLES ARE BACK ON TRACK. (SOT) ASSEMBLYMAN BILLY JONES/ (D) NY DISTRICT 115 00;00;01;06 – 00;00;10;20 “We just want the service to be consistent and to have our residents have access to that service in a consistent manner. And that’s not what we’ve been getting.” (VO) THE RAILROAD SERVICE SAYS IT WILL LOSE THREE OF ITS DAILY ROUND TRIPS BETWEEN THE ALBANY AREA AND THE CITY. TRAVELERS HEADING NORTH OF THE CAPITAL REGION WILL SEE LAYOVERS OF AT LEAST 90 MINUTES. (VO WITH MAP STILL) IT’S BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION NEAR THE EAST RIVER TUNNELS… LIMITING THE NUMBER OF TRAINS THAT CAN MOVE BETWEEN PENN STATION AND QUEENS NEW YORK. (VO) FROM SKI LODGES TO SHOPS IN DOWNTOWN PLATTSBURGH, LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE WORRIED. (SOT) LAUREN GARFIELD/ MARKETING MANAGER, WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN 00;01;53;03 – 00;02;07;00 “It’s definitely a concern. There aren’t a lot of public transportation methods to get to our region from the metro New York area, easily. So, we don’t want to lose any one of them.” (SOT) CAROLYN TETREAULT /OWNER, A BEAUTIFUL MESS 15;43;46;15 – 15;43;57;19 “Having that bonus of people traveling from afar just adds to our sales and such. So, to see something else that’s going to like cut into that is kind of disappointing.” (VO) NORTH COUNTRY ASSEMBLYMAN BILLY JONES IS CALLING ON BOTH AMTRAK AND THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THESE DISRUPTIONS. (NAT SOUND) TRAIN NOISE (VO) DESPITE THESE HURDLES, SOME ARE STAYING CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AND ARE HOPING FOR THE BEST DESPITE THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF INCOME FROM SOME TRAVELERS. (SOT) LAUREN GARFIELD MARKETING MANAGER, WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN 00;05;29;05 – 00;05;40;25 “If it’s renting a car or taking a bus instead or just making do with any delays on that Amtrak side, I think we’ll still have a have a great season.” (SOT) CAROLYN TETREAULT OWNER, A BEAUTIFUL MESS 15;44;38;05 – 15;44;45;20 “They’re (The businesses) are very resilient downtown. So, we kind of band together and try to help each other stuff to get through things and move forward.” THE CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO LAST FOR THREE YEARS, ALTHOUGH IT IS UNCLEAR HOW LONG TRAIN SCHEDULES WILL B