LIRR tunnels to close for repair on weekend

As many as half of the East River tunnels used by the Long Island Rail Road to get customers into and out of Penn Station will be out of commission for most weekends during the next four years as Amtrak takes on a major project to replace tracks in the tunnels, LIRR officials said Monday.

The project, which begins this weekend, is Amtrak's long term plan to address several infrastructure problems inside the century-old tunnels, which are owned by Amtrak but primarily used by the LIRR.

The MTA pushed Amtrak to completely renew the tunnels after a number of track problems caused major delays on the LIRR. Two broken joints in the tracks caused service disruptions in April during the first day of Passover. Then an Amtrak derailment on Mother's Day in May caused widespread LIRR cancellations and delays for nearly a week.

At a Manhattan meeting Monday, LIRR President Helena Williams said Amtrak presented three options to perform the work. One would have taken one tunnel out of commission nearly every day for a year. Another would have taken one tunnel out of commission nearly every weekend for eight years. The LIRR chose to have two tunnels taken out of service for most weekends over four years. On some weekends, it will be just one tunnel that is out, LIRR officials said.

The work will not take place over some holiday weekends and weekends that other work is scheduled, reducing the number of available weekends from 52 in a year to no more than 38. LIRR officials said the project's impact on LIRR service is "under review." Williams said the project could also impact the LIRR's important East Side Access plan to connect to Grand Central Terminal.

Because Amtrak employees, and not LIRR ones, will perform the work, MTA Board member Mitchell Pally said he was concerned that it could impact some Monday morning commutes. He said he has "no confidence" in Amtrak ability to carry out the work as scheduled.

Williams said that the LIRR is looking for ways to create incentives for Amtrak to stay on schedule.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

Under an agreement between the two agencies, the LIRR covers the majority of costs for capital improvements inside the tunnels, even though they are owned by Amtrak and the work is done by Amtrak workers.