Metro-North Railroad has released a draft scoping document for a plan to bring some of its trains into Penn Station via the west side of Manhattan or, for the New Haven line, through Queens. This project will proceed in a combined environmental impact/major investment study.

Among the issues the study will examine are time savings for existing Metro-North commuters, attracting new passengers and opening new stations on the West Side between 57th and 86th Streets and in The Bronx' Co-Op City. Peak hour, off-peak and reverse commute services will be studied. Routes that will be studied include the Spuyten Duyvil crossing for the Harlem and Hudson lines and the Hellgate Bridge for New Haven line trains.

Four public meetings are scheduled for Sept. 28-October 6th. For more information call 1-877-677-7366.