LIRR Delays, Dispruptions Continue Into Weekend
NEW YORK (CBS 2/1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- After five days, there's still no relief for thousands of Long Island Railroad passengers.
Problems from a switching tower fire on Monday have stretched through the work week, and there's word that almost every line will be impacted well into the weekend, reports CBS 2's Kirstin Cole.
Riders of the LIRR are weary after a week of service cuts and delays, even as workers are sounding off over what they say is a lack of leadership from the top.
Union Chair Anthony Simon showed CBS 2 a track crew at work after one of the worst weeks for LIRR riders. Cancellations and delays, after a tower fire severely damaged a nearly 100-year-old board that controls track-switching at Jamaica Station, have left riders fuming.
For the very latest information, visit the LIRR website here.
"You have to worry, 'is it going to be messed up, you get to Jamaica, what's going to happen?'" Roslyn resident Farshad Rahban said.
"It's tough to figure out with all the cuts," Claudelle Miranda, of the East New York section of Brooklyn, said.
Even as workers inspect and fix hundreds of wires and components, some 62 conductors get the budget ax and lose their jobs in two weeks.
Union leaders say the MTA is out-of-touch as it tries to close a $900 million budget gap.
"The top-12 LIRR senior executive managers probably range upwards to $3.6 million a year in salary. Where's their cuts?" Anthony Simon, of the United Transportation Union, said.
CBS 2 requested interviews with LIRR head Helena Williams and MTA Chair Jay Walder, who vacationed during the train crisis, but both declined to speak.
"He was in the south of France, in his chalet," Simon said. "This is not the right time for a vacation, when you're losing the heart and soul of your agency."
"Jay Walder has been very informed, he's been very supportive of what we've been doing, he's helped us marshal resources," LIRR spokesman Joe Calderone said.
Calderone said there has been progress.
Seventy-five percent of morning rush trains ran on Friday, and 66 percent of evening rush trains are scheduled. But it's a tale of two train schedules for the 5,300 riders headed to the Hamptons. Those riders get 100 percent of all trains Friday and Sunday, leaving commuters who've had to deal with service cuts fuming.
"That's kind of tough to handle after paying $360 a month for a monthly ticket," said Medford resident Scott Lacey.
The LIRR says track work will continue over the weekend, and officials are trying to figure out when the railroad will get back to a complete schedule with no cuts. It's something riders are looking forward to as well.
The LIRR carries about 265,000 daily riders.
Here is a complete listing of service changes and delays for Friday's evening commute:
Friday PM Service Plan - Aug. 27 - Eastbound & Westbound
The LIRR's modified PM Service Plan for Friday provides about 68% of the LIRR's regular 127 trains during the evening rush hour (between 4 PM and 8 PM). Customers are advised to expect canceled trains, and delays. Customers will be able to exit or board trains at Jamaica Station, however trains making scheduled stops at Jamaica will not be held for scheduled connections from Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal, Hunterspoint Avenue, and Long Island City. LIRR station personnel will be available at Jamaica to assist customers with service information.
To avoid overcrowding at Penn Station and Jamaica, MTA Police will carefully monitor and regulate, if necessary, the number of people entering the LIRR section of Penn Station and/or Jamaica Station, allowing customers access as trains become available.
LIRR station personnel are available at Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Jamaica Station to assist customers with service information. The LIRR appreciates the patience and understanding of our customers.
Eastbound PM Service Plan
Regular service will be offered to Port Washington, so customers may want to consider taking that branch if they can make alternate arrangements for the remainder of their trip home.
Aside from the regular Port Washington service, the evening rush hour service from Penn Station will consist of dedicated trains making local stops to Huntington/Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma/Greenport, Long Beach, Babylon and Montauk. Customers are advised to board trains that do not require a change at Jamaica.
Hamptons/Montauk
The normal Friday eastbound service to the Hamptons and Montauk will operate. Customers should be aware that there may be track changes in Jamaica or connections may be moved to other locations due to the continuing repair work. Customers may want to board Hamptons/Montauk trains originating at Hunterspoint Avenue. Customers are urged to listen for station announcements for information.
The following is the scheduled Montauk Branch East End service for Friday, August 27:
- Depart Hunterspoint Ave. at 1:57 PM, Jamaica at 2:16 PM, arrive Montauk at 4:45 PM.
- Depart Hunterspoint Ave. at 4:06 PM, Jamaica at 4:25 PM, arrive Montauk at 6:48 PM.
- Depart Hunterspoint Ave. at 4:30 PM, Jamaica at 4:49 PM, arrive Montauk at 7:35 PM.
- Depart NY at 5:09 PM, Jamaica at 5:32 PM, arrive Montauk at 8:29 PM.
- Depart Jamaica at 6:17 PM, arrive Montauk at 9:07 PM.
- Depart Jamaica at 7:38 PM, arrive Montauk at 10:10 PM.
- Depart Jamaica at 8:53 PM, arrive Montauk at 11:57 PM.
LIRR is offering Hempstead and Far Rockaway-bound trains only from Atlantic Terminal in downtown Brooklyn, which can be reached by subway. There will be no Hempstead and Far Rockaway service from Penn Station.
LIRR customers are also advised of service changes if heading for the following destinations as detailed below:
- Oyster Bay: Travel to Mineola for connections to all Oyster Bay branch stops.
- West Hempstead: Travel to Valley Stream where buses will be available to take them onto to their home stations.
- Patchogue, Speonk and Montauk: Customers can connect to those trains at Babylon.
There is no train service between Valley Stream and West Hempstead - bus service will be provided for train service at Valley Stream.
There will be no eastbound train service from St. Albans - bus service will be provided between St. Albans and Jamaica.
Eastbound PM Peak Train Cancellations for Friday, Aug. 27:
The following eastbound PM Rush trains will be canceled Friday, August 27 in the modified service plan:
Long Beach Branch:
The 4:15 PM from NY due in Long Beach 5:08 PM
The 5:00 PM from NY due in Long Beach 5:55 PM
The 5:55 PM from NY due in Long Beach 6:51 PM
Hempstead Branch
The 4:32 PM from NY due in Hempstead 5:23 PM
The 5:04 PM from NY due in Hempstead 5:57 PM
The 5:38 PM from NY due in Hempstead 6:36 PM
The 5:51 PM from NY due in Hempstead 6:46 PM
The 6:39 PM from NY due in Hempstead 7:33 PM
The 7:05 PM from NY due in Hempstead 7:56 PM
Far Rockaway Branch
The 4:42 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 5:40 PM
The 5:32 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 6:24 PM
The 6:02 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 6:58 PM
Oyster Bay Branch
The 4:18 PM from Hunterspoint Avenue due in Oyster Bay 5:30 PM
The 6:00 PM from Jamaica due in Oyster Bay 6:58 PM
Babylon Branch
The 3:34 PM from NY due in Wantagh 4:29 PM
The 4:04 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:05 PM
The 4:16 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in Babylon at 5:28 PM
The 4:34 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:39 PM
The 4:52 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:55 PM
The 5:19 PM from NY due in Wantagh at 6:06 PM
The 5:40 PM from NY due in Seaford at 6:30 PM
The 6:05 PM from NY due in Wantagh at 6:51 PM
The 6:33 PM from NY due in Babylon at 7:35 PM
The 7:41 PM from NY due in Babylon at 8:55 PM
Ronkonkoma Branch
The 4:34 PM from Atlantic Terminal due Ronkonkoma 5:57 PM
The 7:11 PM from NY due Ronkonkoma 8:33 PM
Port Jefferson Branch
The 5:47 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 7:30 PM
The 6:08 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 8:00 PM
Huntington
The 2:54 PM from NY due in Huntington at 3:59 PM
The 5:06 PM from NY due in Huntington at 6:07PM
The 5:29 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in Huntington at 6:28 PM
The 6:56 PM from NY due in Huntington at 8:04 PM
Hicksville
The 5:33 PM from NY due Hicksville 6:29 PM
The 6:01 PM from NY due Hicksville 6:45 PM
The 6:35 PM from NY due Hicksville 7:22 PM
West Hempstead Branch
The 4:20 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 5:06 PM
The 5:06 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 5:53 PM
The 5:35 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 6:22 PM
The 6:18 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 7:07 PM
The 7:23 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 8:10 PM
Hunterspoint Avenue
(Note: the following canceled trains from Hunterspoint Avenue are included in the
branch listings above):
The 4:18 PM from Hunters Point Avenue due in Oyster Bay 5:30 PM
The 5:47 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 7:30 PM
The 6:08 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 8:00 PM
Westbound PM Service Plan
Westbound (Reverse Peak) Service:
LIRR westbound, reverse peak service to Atlantic Terminal and Penn Station is expected to operate at regularly scheduled times; however customers should anticipate delays en-route.
There is no train service between Valley Stream and West Hempstead - bus service will be provided for train service at Valley Stream.
There is no westbound train service from Locust Manor, Laurelton and Rosedale to Jamaica, bus service will be provided.
Westbound (Reverse Peak) Train Cancellations for Friday, Aug. 27:
West Hempstead Branch Westbound cancellations:
The 4:02 PM from West Hempstead due in Atlantic Terminal 4:47 PM
The 5:48 PM from Jamaica due in Atlantic Terminal 6:06 PM
The 6:30 PM from West Hempstead due in Jamaica 6:56 PM
Hempstead Branch Westbound cancellations:
The 5:41 PM from Hempstead due Penn Station at 6:33 PM
The 8:01 PM from Hempstead due Atlantic Terminal at 8:55 PM
For the very latest information visit the LIRR website here.
