Expect LIRR delays, cancellations Monday

Long Island Rail Road riders are dealing with a frustrating Monday-morning commute, the railroad cancelling, terminating or diverting almost one-quarter of its morning rush-hour trains after an empty Amtrak train derailed in an East River Tunnel Sunday, damaging some 200 railroad ties, officials said.

Thirteen trains were cancelled outright with another six trains bound for Penn Station terminated instead at Jamaica. Three more trains are being -- or have been -- diverted to Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn. Another train will be diverted to Hunterspoint Avenue in Long Island City.

The good news is the New York City Transit subway system is cross-honoring LIRR tickets Monday.

The bad news is that it remains unclear how long it will take to make repairs to the damaged track in the tunnel. Officials said Amtrak was re-railing the train derailed in the incident, which occurred at about 12:30 p.m. Sunday. But, officials said, one that equipment is cleared the track and signal system will need to be inspected and repaired before any service can be restored.

Meanwhile, LIRR officials are reporing scattered 10-to-20-minute delays on the trains that are in service Monday -- and are urging riders to leave themselves extra time for the commute.

The incident once again highlights the problematic situation with the four East River Tunnels, which are the only route for LIRR trains headed to Penn Station but are owned and operated by Amtrak. An Amtrak spokeswoman, Danelle Hunter, said Sunday that the derailed train was a locomotive with five cars and was heading from Manhattan to the rail yard in Queens when it derailed inside the tunnel. She said the cause of the derailment was under investigation -- and said Amtrak passengers faced "minimal impacts" because of the situation.

The delays are the third widespread Amtrak-related service disruption on the LIRR since February. On April 18, just as riders headed home on the first night of Passover, emergency repairs by Amtrak in a Penn Station tunnel forced the cancellation of 21 peak LIRR trains. An Amtrak train derailed on Feb. 7, just outside an East River tunnel out of Penn Station. The LIRR canceled 16 peak trains that night out of 125 it typically runs.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

LIRR officials said the latest information on train service can be found at www.mta.info. Customers can also contact the LIRR's Travel Information Center at 718-217-5477 (718-217-LIRR). Deaf or hard of hearing customers can use their preferred relay service provider or the free 711 relay to reach LIRR at 718-217-5477.

Cancellations

As of Monday morning:

6:14 a.m. from Massapequa Park

6:17 a.m. and 7:46 a.m. trains from Port Washington

6:42 a.m. from Babylon

7:17 a.m. from Little Neck

7:29 a.m. from Freeport will be canceled at Jamica. 

7:37a.m. from Bablyon will be canceled in Jamaica. 

7:43 a.m. from Merrick

7:48 a.m. from Wantagh

8:03 a.m. from Valley Stream

8:03 a.m. from Long Beach

8:10 a.m. from Far Rockaway. Customers will be accommodated by the 8:21 a.m. train from Far Rockaway, to Penn Station, which will be canceled in Jamaica.

8:10 a.m. from Freeport

8:38 a.m. from Great Neck

8:58 a.m. from Great Neck

DIVERTED

The 5:56 a.m. train from Babylon will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

The 6:57 a.m. train from Freeport will be diverted to Atlantic Terminal.

The 7:36 a.m. train from West Hempstead will be diverted to Hunterspoint Avenue.

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