LIRR Project To Cause Major Service Disruptions
JAMAICA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- If you ride the Long Island Rail Road on weekends, or are planning to this weekend, watch out for major service disruptions on both Saturday and Sunday.
The train lines affected are those that go through Jamaica Station, reports CBS 2's John Slattery.
On both days this weekend, LIRR riders will find service extremely limited.
LISTEN: WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports
LISTEN: 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reports
"What about people who gotta go to work, what are they gonna do for them?" commuter Donna Perkins said.
Service into and out of Penn Station will be reduced from about nine trains each hour to three.
A college student told CBS 2 she has to attend a track meet in Farmingdale.
"I'm gonna have to be waking up extra, extra early to get on the train, so that I don't miss it," she said.
The North Shore branches will be affected more than the South Shore lines. The Port Washington branch won't be affected at all, though, because it doesn't go through Jamaica Station.
The final phase of construction at that Queens hub is the cause for all the service disruptions.
On the North Shore, trains will be considerably less frequent on the Hempstead, Huntington, Oyster Bay and Port Jefferson Lines.
South Shore branches Babylon, Far Rockaway, Long Beach and Ronkonkoma will go through Jamaica and into Penn Station, but with reduced schedules.
"I really think it's gonna be a giant hassle," commuter Jerry Stathatos said. "I have friends in Lindenhurst, and it's gonna take me more than two hours to get down there."
Some passengers said they just have to grin and bear it.
"I guess if they have to do it, they have to do it," Joe Perrone said.
Commuters are advised to allow a lot of extra travel time, and not just this weekend – it'll be the same story on the weekend of November 6 and 7.
Because of the route restrictions, some train stations will be bypassed altogether.
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Here is a branch-by-branch description of how service will be impacted during the two weekends:
City Terminal Zone
Jamaica – Penn Station
- Only three trains will operate each hour between Jamaica and Penn Station.
- Alternative subway service is available via NYC Transit's E subway line operating between Penn and Jamaica (Archer/Sutphin stop on the E). NYC Transit will cross-honor LIRR tickets for the E train at Jamaica and Penn Station.
Attention Kew Gardens and Forest Hills customers: There will be no train or bus service to/from these stations on both weekends. Customers are advised to use the E or F subway lines instead. - Woodside to Penn Station service will be available on Port Washington trains only. No weekend LIRR service between Woodside and Jamaica.
Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn
- There will be no train or bus service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn.
- There will be no train or bus service to the East New York or Nostrand Avenue Stations.
- Eastbound customers at Atlantic Terminal are advised to take the 2 or 3 NYC Transit subway lines to Penn Station, and then take one of the three trains per hour leaving Penn to either Ronkonkoma, Babylon, or Long Beach. For travel to other eastern terminals customers at Penn should take NYC Transit's E subway line to Jamaica. Subway service between lower Manhattan, northern Brooklyn and Jamaica is also available via theJ subway line.
- Westbound customers at Jamaica seeking to travel to Atlantic Terminal should take NYC Transit's E subway line to Times Square or World Trade Center and transfer to the 2 or 3 subway lines to Atlantic Terminal.
Babylon Branch
- Train service is reduced from half-hourly to hourly, operating direct to/from Penn Station. Trains will make all local stops between Babylon and Rockville Centre. Babylon Branch trains will also receive connections from Montauk trains at Babylon station.
Attention St. Albans customers: There will be no train or bus service to/from this station on both weekends.
Far Rockaway Branch
- Service is reduced from hourly to every two hours. Shuttle trains will operate between Far Rockaway and Valley Stream Station. Connections will be made at Valley Stream with Long Beach trains for direct service to/from Penn Station.
Attention Laurelton, Locust Manor and Rosedale customers: There will be no train or bus service to/from these stations on both weekends.
Hempstead Branch
- Train service will be provided every two hours, instead of hourly, between Hempstead and Queens Village.
- Westbound Hempstead Branch customers will take trains to Queens Village where they will board buses for travel to Jamaica. At Jamaica, customers will be provided with free transfers to NYC Transit's E subway line for service to Penn Station.
- Eastbound Hempstead Branch customers will take NYC Transit's E subway line at Penn Station to Jamaica and transfer to buses bound for Queens Village. At Queens Village, customers will transfer to a train for the remainder of the trip to Hempstead.
Attention Mobility Impaired customers: Queens Village Station is an elevated station accessible via stairs only.
Attention Hollis customers: There will be no train or bus service to/from the Hollis Station on both weekends.
Long Beach Branch
- Long Beach Branch trains will run hourly direct to/from Penn Station making local stops between Valley Stream and Long Beach. Long Beach trains will also connect with Far Rockaway trains at Valley Stream Station.
Montauk Branch
- Diesel service will not operate west of Babylon station. All westbound Montauk Branch trains will terminate at Babylon. All eastbound Montauk Branch trains will originate at Babylon. Connections will be available at Babylon for local Babylon Branch train service to/from Penn Station.
- Fewer Montauk Branch trains will operate on these weekends and stops have been added to other trains.
Oyster Bay Branch
- Train service will operate every two hours between Oyster Bay and Mineola.
- Westbound Oyster Bay Branch customers will take trains to Mineola, where they will board buses for travel to Jamaica. At Jamaica, customers will transfer to NYC Transit's Esubway line for service to Penn Station.
- Eastbound Oyster Bay Branch customers will take NYC Transit's E subway line at Penn Station to Jamaica and transfer to buses bound for Mineola. At Mineola, customers will transfer to a train for the remainder of the trip to Oyster Bay.
Port Jefferson Branch Electric Service
West of Huntington
- Service will run hourly instead of half-hourly between Huntington and Mineola.
- Westbound Huntington Branch customers will take trains to Mineola, where they will board buses for travel to Jamaica. At Jamaica, customers will be provided with free transfers to NYC Transit's E subway line for service to Penn Station.
- Eastbound Huntington Branch customers will take NYC Transit's E subway line at Penn Station to Jamaica and transfer to buses bound for Mineola. At Mineola, customers will transfer to a train for the remainder of the trip to Huntington.
Attention Merillon Avenue and New Hyde Park customers: There will be no train or bus service to/from these stations on both weekends.
Port Jefferson Branch Diesel Service
East of Huntington
- Service will operate every two hours instead of every 90 minutes.
- Westbound diesel trains will terminate at Huntington.
- Eastbound diesel trains will originate at Huntington.
- Local electric train service will operate between Huntington and Mineola. Customers will board buses for travel between Mineola and Jamaica; and transfer to/from NYC Transit's E subway line at Jamaica for service between Jamaica and Penn Station.
Ronkonkoma Branch - 7 AM to 11 PM:
- Ronkonkoma through Farmingdale customers will travel to/from Penn Station without transfers, but trains will be rerouted to the Babylon Branch and will require extra travel time.
- Bethpage customers can take a bus to Farmingdale for train service to Penn via the south shore.
Ronkonkoma Overnight:
- Westbound overnight Ronkonkoma Branch customers will take trains to Mineola, where they will board buses for travel to Jamaica. At Jamaica, customers will transfer to NYC Transit's E subway line for service to Penn Station.
- Eastbound overnight Ronkonkoma Branch customers will take NYC Transit's E subway line at Penn Station to Jamaica and transfer to buses bound for Mineola. At Mineola, customers will transfer to a train for the remainder of the trip to Ronkonkoma.
Port Washington Branch
Since the Port Washington Branch is the LIRR's only branch that does not operate through Jamaica Station, regular hourly weekend service, with some added trains, will be provided on these two weekends.
The added service includes:
- Westbound: Four extra westbound trains will operate from Port Washington to Penn Station, providing half-hourly service from 9 AM to 1 PM. The extra trains will depart Port Washington at 9:10 AM, 10:10 AM, 11:10 AM and 12:10 PM.
- Eastbound: Four extra eastbound trains will operate from Penn Station to Port Washington, providing half-hourly service from 4 PM to 8 PM. The extra trains will depart Penn Station at 4:50 PM , 5:50 PM, 6:50 PM and 7:50 PM.
Stations Without Service:
During the two Jamaica Cutover weekends, the following LIRR stations will not have train or bus service: Atlantic Terminal, East New York, Forest Hills, Hollis, Kew Gardens, Laurelton, Locust Manor, Merillon Ave, New Hyde Park, Nostrand Avenue, Rosedale & St. Albans.
