Approaching storm prompts bus, train, ferry shutdowns

Transportation providers braced for the potential impact of Sunday’s storm, including by shutting down rail, bus, and ferry travel throughout much of Suffolk’s East End.

The Long Island Rail Road announced Saturday afternoon that it would suspend service east of Patchogue on its Montauk and Greenport lines all day Sunday, as powerful winds brought with them the threat of downed trees and power lines on the tracks. "Patrol trains" will operate throughout Suffolk County looking for damage.

"These service changes are to ensure the safety of LIRR customers and employees which will always be our top priority," LIRR president Phil Eng said. "We strongly advise customers avoid unnecessary travel if possible. Our workforce will be out working to enable us to restore service on the East End once it is safe to do so."

The railroad said, while it will procure buses to help transport displaced riders, "travel via roads may not be viable."

The last Saturday westbound trains before the shutdown were set to depart at 9:03 p.m. from Greenport, 7:37 p.m. from Montauk, and 11:57 p.m. out of Speonk. The last eastbound train to Greenport was to depart from Ronkonkoma at 6:50 p.m. and the final eastbound train to Speonk was slated to leave Jamaica at 7:41 p.m.

Ahead of the storm, the LIRR said it would strategically deploy maintenance personnel and emergency equipment throughout its service area, boost staffing of public information officers to communicate with riders, and stay in communication with PSEG Long Island to address downed wires on its tracks. The LIRR said it is also clearing drains and, if necessary, addressing poor drainage at switch locations.

MTA subway crews will also be staged to respond to flood-prone locations and cover vulnerable street vents. The authority’s Bridges and Tunnels Department has also enacted a "soft ban" on empty and/or tandem trailers, and is inspecting and monitoring "areas that have proved to be historically prone to flash flooding."

Long Island’s two main bus systems also took proactive measures to minimize the impact from the storm. Suffolk County Transit said it will suspend all bus service on Sunday "due to dangerous conditions expected from Tropical Storm Henri." The Nassau Inter-County Express, or NICE Bus, warned riders that the storm "could potentially bring heavy rain and wind, causing flooding and hazardous road conditions. This could result in systemwide delays and detours."

Due to "the expected impacts of Hurricane Henri," Long Island MacArthur Airport on Saturday afternoon urged travelers to contact their airline for the most updated flight information. LaGuardia and Kennedy airports also advised customers to check with their airlines for the status of flights.

Long Island Sound ferry operators also announced they were canceling all departures on Sunday because of the weather.

Because of the storm, all Amtrak northeast corridor service on Sunday, including the Northeast Regional and Acela, was canceled between New York and Boston.

Amtrak also suspended train service Sunday on the Springfield line between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts.

Amtrak service between Washington, D.C., and New York is not affected.

With John Asbury

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.