Summer repair work at Penn Station will cancel, divert some LIRR trains

Long Island Rail Road commuters be advised: Some of your trains are going on summer break. 

Starting July 1, Amtrak is scheduled to resume its so-called State of Good Repair work at Penn Station. The LIRR said the impact to riders will be minimal.

The work is to refurbish and modernize a complex of switches known as the JO Interlocking — a project that will take two of the 21 Penn Station tracks used by the LIRR out of service through Labor Day.

During that time, the LIRR will cancel or divert seven of 144 morning rush-hour and seven of 130 evening rush-hour trains. Five trains will be added outside the morning and evening peak periods as an offset, with extra cars added to some trains in an effort for the railroad to maintain its current seating capacity, LIRR president Phillip Eng said last month.

"We worked to make sure that the affected customers have options," Eng said.

The project marks the third straight summer that Amtrak track work will displace LIRR riders accessing Penn Station.

 The first year, 2017, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo labeled it the "summer of hell."

That was when a series of infrastructure failures at Penn Station resulted in Amtrak launching a renewal effort of the now 109-year-old transit hub. The initial project caused a reduction of rush-hour service by about 20 percent, with affected commuters forced to use buses and ferries. Commuters and experts generally agreed at the time that clear communication and plentiful options helped make the "summer of hell" less of a nightmare than expected.

The current segment is estimated to cost $30 million and will affect Amtrak riders using eight specific trains: the Northeast Regional 110 from Washington, D.C., to New York, and the 127 from New York to Washington, which will be canceled; the northbound Keystone 640, which will terminate at Newark-Penn Station; the southbound Keystone 643, which will originate in Newark; the southbound Keystone 653, which will depart Penn Station earlier; the Cardinal 51, which will depart Penn early on weekdays; and the Maple Leaf 63 and Adirondack 69, which will operate on the Maple Leaf 63 schedule and will then split at Albany.

For LIRR commuters, the adjustments will affect many more trains.

"We appreciate the continued support and confidence from our commuter partners and patience from our customers as we continue to deliver this important work safely, on time and within budget, improving the commutes for the many users of Penn Station," Amtrak president and CEO Richard Anderson said in a statement.

Here are the changes:

Babylon Branch

Westbound

The 6:56 a.m. train from Wantagh to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

The 8:25 a.m. train from Freeport to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

A 5:43 a.m. train from Freeport to Penn Station will be added and operate on weekdays during this period.

The 7:10 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station will not operate during this period.

To help accommodate these customers, some scheduled stops from this train will be added to the 7:21 a.m. train from Babylon to Penn Station, and other stops will be added to the 7:44 a.m. train from Merrick to Penn Station.

Eastbound

A 7:02 p.m. train from Hunterspoint Avenue to Freeport will be added and operate on weekdays this period.

A 3:31 p.m. train from Penn Station to Babylon will be added and operate on weekdays this period.

The 4:34 p.m. train from Penn Station to Babylon will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 4:37 p.m. train to Wantagh, with added stops.

The 5:19 p.m. train from Penn Station to Wantagh will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 5:24 p.m. train to Freeport, with added stops.

The 5:40 p.m. train from Penn Station to Seaford will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 5:47 p.m. train to Freeport, with added stops.

Far Rockaway Branch

Westbound

The 8:10 a.m. train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station will not operate during this period. Customers can board the 8:21 a.m. train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station with added stops.

Eastbound

The 4:42 p.m. train from Penn Station to Far Rockaway will originate at Atlantic Terminal.

The 5:32 p.m. train from Penn Station to Far Rockaway will originate at Jamaica. To reach this train from Penn Station, customers can board the 5:24 p.m. Freeport train from Penn Station, and change at Jamaica.

Hempstead Branch

Westbound

The 7:12 a.m. train from Hempstead to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

Eastbound

The 5:04 p.m. train from Penn Station to Hempstead will originate at Jamaica. To reach this train from Penn Station, customers can board the 5:01 p.m. Farmingdale train from Penn Station, and change at Jamaica.

The 5:38 p.m. train from Penn Station to Hempstead will originate at Atlantic Terminal.

Long Beach Branch

Westbound

The 8:03 a.m. train from Long Beach to Penn Station will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

Montauk Branch

Westbound

The 6:21 a.m. train from Speonk to Penn Station will depart Speonk approximately 5 minutes earlier.

Eastbound

The 6:16 a.m. train from Speonk to Montauk will depart Speonk approximately 5 minutes earlier.

Ronkonkoma Branch

Westbound

A 5:12 a.m. train from Farmingdale to Penn Station will be added and operate on weekdays during this period, stopping at Bethpage (5:16 a.m.), Hicksville (5:22 a.m.), Mineola (5:30 a.m.) and Jamaica (5:46 a.m.), arriving Penn Station at 6:05 a.m.

The 6:54 a.m. train from Central Islip to Penn Station will terminate at Jamaica Station.

Eastbound

The 1:59 p.m. train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma, which normally operates on holiday eves, will operate on weekdays during this period on an adjusted schedule.

—  With Alfonso Castillo

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”