As a metaphor for Penn Station’s present and future, the sewage shower is tough to beat. It began one morning earlier this month, a broken ceiling pipe unleashing torrents of waste down into the ticketing area. The leak was quickly confirmed by the MTA—which, along with NJ Transit, pays Amtrak for use of the tracks—and a half dozen dumpsters were carted out to collect the droppings. The excess, flowing toward the eateries, was hastily mopped toward Tracks 18 and 19 of the Long Island Railroad, spreading the feculent stench throughout the building.
