A painful summer, and hope of a $20 billion fix, for NJ commuters who rely on rails to NYC

A summer of rail commuting misery is forcing transportation officials to confront a longstanding problem: the decrepit state of the train tunnels between New York City and New Jersey.

The delays have been so bad lately that federal, state and city officials have begun talking with new urgency about long-stalled plans to build a second set of tunnels.

The problem is the cost. One plan backed by Amtrak could cost more than $20 billion.

Top elected officials in New York and New Jersey say they want the federal government to pick up the tab. Congress has offered only loans.

While the debate goes on, passengers trying to get in and out of Manhattan from New Jersey say they are getting used to having their commutes ruined by equipment breakdowns.