Track work, inspections to impact LIRR service

Track work and track inspections are expected to disrupt Long Island Rail Road service on several branches during the next two weeks - including forcing the suspension of service Saturday and Sunday on the Hempstead branch.

Officials said inspections between Babylon and Montauk will disrupt service Wednesday and Thursday, when buses will replace some trains.

And a track work program in Queens Village will cause a suspension in service on the Hempstead branch and a reduction of service on the Port Jefferson and Huntington branch this weekend, officials said.

Part of that construction will include grade crossing replacement work at Covert Avenue in Stewart Manor, officials said.

Officials are asking riders to consider taking trains from several South Shore stations - among them, stations on the Babylon, Long Beach and West Hempstead branches - to avoid weekend delays.

Special timetables are in effect for the weekend.

The changes are as follows:

Hempstead branch. Eastbound customers will board trains at western terminals and will then disembark at Jamaica for buses that will take them to their final destinations. Customers should anticipate up to 33 minutes of additional travel time. Westbound customers will board buses at their stations then change at Jamaica for trains to western terminals. Buses will depart up to 32 minutes earlier than train times.

Huntington and Port Jefferson branch. Customers traveling between New Hyde Park and Huntington will have hourly train service instead of service at half-hour intervals. Customers traveling east of Huntington to and from Port Jefferson will have train service every two hours instead of every 90 minutes, officials said.

In addition to the track work, officials said the grade crossing at Covert Avenue will be redone Saturday and Sunday.

The work includes replacing the rubber street-level panels at the crossing with longer lasting concrete, officials said.

There will be vehicle detours through the area, as a result.

Special branch timetables have been issued for the weekend and are available at area stations and terminals.

Meanwhile, officials said the 10:25 a.m. train from Babylon to Patchogue and the 11:25 a.m. train from Babylon to Speonk will be replaced by buses between Tuesday and April 23.

There also are service suspensions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Those are:

Eastbound. Customers on the 8:52 a.m. train from Babylon due in Montauk at 10:53 a.m. and the 12:10 p.m. train from Babylon due in Montauk at 2:19 p.m. will board buses at Patchogue station to continue their trips to stations Bellport through Montauk.

Customers should anticipate up to 40 minutes additional travel time, officials said.

Westbound. Customers on the 12:12 p.m. from Patchogue, due in Jamaica at 1:24 p.m., will board buses up to 28 minutes later at their stations and transfer to trains at Babylon to complete their trips.

Customers should anticipate up to 56 minutes later arrival than normal, officials said.

Meanwhile, customers on the 2:01 p.m. train from Speonk, due in Jamaica at 3:44 p.m., will board buses up to 22 minutes later at their stations and transfer to a train at Babylon.

Those customers should anticipate up to 46 minutes later arrival than normal.

And customers on the 11:22 a.m. train from Montauk, due in Jamaica at 2:18 p.m., and the 2:51 p.m. train from Montauk due in Jamaica at 5:50 p.m., will board buses at their stations for trips between Montauk and Bellport. They will board up to 29 minutes later - and transfer to trains at Babylon to complete their trips. Customers should anticipate up to 40 minutes additional travel time.

As the Sperry Rail testing is being conducted, renewal work will also be conducted at the Penataquit Avenue grade crossing in Bay Shore. As is the case at Covert Avenue, rubber panels will be replaced with longer lasting concrete. Motorists should anticipate some traffic congestion during the work.

For schedule information customers can contact the LIRR's 24-hour Travel Information Center in Suffolk County at 631-231-LIRR, in Nassau County at 516-822-LIRR or New York City at 718-217-LIRR. The Travel Information Center's TDD number for hearing-impaired is 718-558-3022. Customers can also consult the LIRR's Web site at www.mta.info.