LIRR cancellations, service cuts begin today
Several LIRR cuts go into effect Monday, May 17. Credit: Newsday/Karen Wiles Stabile
The Long Island Rail Road's money woes hit Long Island commuters with cancellations and service reductions on several lines starting Monday.
The cuts - intended to ease the MTA's $800 million budget shortfall - include cancellations on five LIRR branches. Affected trains include several late afternoon weekday departures. Daily service to Belmont Park is also being eliminated, but trains will run on June 4 and June 5 for the Belmont Stakes.
A total of eight trains on the Babylon, Long Beach, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson and Port Washington branches will no longer be running. LIRR spokesman Rich Mendelson said the changes will be in place indefinitely.
The LIRR "developed reductions that will improve efficiency while attempting to minimize the adverse impact to customers," according to an MTA statement.
Several other cuts are scheduled to begin in September, including elimination of weekend service to West Hempstead and Greenport. Weekday off-peak service to Port Washington will go from half-hourly to hourly.
Other ongoing service disruptions stem from track work and construction projects. They affect schedules on trains to Brooklyn and to Babylon, Port Jefferson, Port Washington, and Ronkonkoma.
WHAT'S CANCELED
Babylon Branch
7:40 a.m.: Seaford to Atlantic Terminal
4:39 p.m.: Atlantic Terminal to Babylon
4:57 p.m.: Penn Station to Wantagh
Long Beach Branch
5:40 p.m.: Atlantic Terminal to Long Beach
Oyster Bay Branch
Weekend 1:35 a.m.: Jamaica to Oyster Bay
Weekend 7:20 a.m.: Oyster Bay to Jamaica
Port Washington Branch
4:43 p.m.: Penn Station to Port Washington
Belmont Park racetrack
Daily service is canceled. Special service will be provided June 4-5 for the Belmont Stakes.
SERVICE CUTS
Oyster Bay Branch
The 4:54 p.m. peak train from Long Island City to Oyster Bay will leave 10 minutes earlier.
A Hunterspoint Avenue stop is added at 4:59 p.m.
Port Jefferson Branch
The 5:11 p.m. train from Hunterspoint Avenue is canceled and instead originates in Huntington at 6:15 p.m. Customers can connect with this train by taking a new 4:59 p.m. departure from Hunterspoint Avenue.
The 4:05 p.m. train from Port Jefferson to Jamaica will terminate in Huntington.
Complete information at mta.info.
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