LIRR to make upgrades aimed at avoiding packed trains in summer on Montauk line

The Long Island Rail Road will make upgrades at the Amagansett and Hampton Bays stations in the coming years, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Monday.

During the first phase, from early 2028 through mid-2029, the LIRR will extend train car siding — a short distance of additional track that allows trains to pass each other along the otherwise single-track line — at Amagansett.

During the second phase, whose dates are yet to be announced, the LIRR will lengthen the Hampton Bays train platform, making permanent a temporary platform installed for the 2026 U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills, nearby. The railway will also lengthen existing track siding at Hampton Bays to accommodate 12-car trains.

The LIRR said the additional track siding will improve “scheduling flexibility" and the “railroad’s ability to recover from service disruptions," while the lengthened platform will make it easier for passengers to enter and exit the train.

While the Montauk line already has some sidings at Amagansett, Southampton and Bridgehampton, their use is limited because of their relatively short length and because two of them — at Amagansett and Bridgehampton — have to be physically manipulated, rather than controlled by signals.

In a statement, Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free said the improvements will “deliver even more reliable service and shorter waits for the thousands of daily LIRR riders who depend on us."

The announcement comes after the LIRR said last month that it is making permanent the 5:13 p.m. weekday train from Manhattan to Montauk, previously only available during summer.

The Montauk line has served about 1.2 million passengers so far this year, up 6.4% compared with the same period last year, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Ridership is up 46% at Southampton and 23% at Hampton Bays — increases likely in part driven by the U.S. Open, held at Shinnecock this year for the first time since 2018.

The MTA estimated the projects at the Amagansett and Hampton Bays stations will cost $78 million, coming out of the MTA’s record $68 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan.

“By making smart investments in our infrastructure, we can soon make jam-packed summer trains a thing of the past by increasing reliability and running more service on the Montauk Branch," Hochul said in a statement.

CORRECTION: A prior version of a photo caption with this story incorrectly described work the LIRR is planning for the Hampton Bays station. The LIRR will lengthen the Hampton Bays train platform, making permanent a temporary extension to the platform installed for the 2026 U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills..

By Peter Gill

peter.gill@newsday.com