LIRR to suspend service between Mineola, Huntington for track work on Nov. 8, 9

The Long Island Rail Road will suspend weekend train service Nov. 8 and 9 between Mineola and Huntington to do track work.

The upgrades to track signals are planned from 12:01 a.m. Saturday through 2:15 a.m. Monday on the main line, according to the MTA. The LIRR will also close train stations at Carle Place, Westbury and Bethpage.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials will provide bus shuttles between Huntington and Mineola during the work.

Officials said the train service will also lead to schedule changes on the Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma lines. Commuters are encouraged by the LIRR to use the Babylon and Montauk branches during the weekend work.

The signal work could also stall Long Island sports fans going to the St John’s, Rangers and Knicks games. Fans  are urged to use South Shore trains instead.

For the Huntington and Port Jefferson branches, commuters can take buses hourly between Mineola and Huntington that will only stop at Cold Spring Harbor, Syosset and Hicksville.

The NICE Bus N22 will run from Carle Place to Westbury, with limited overnight shuttle buses.

The final train will run from Penn Station at 11:23 p.m. and depart from Huntington at 11:52 p.m. Friday night.

Regular service will resume Monday with an eastbound 1:58 a.m. train from Penn Station and a 3:53 a.m. train leaving from Huntington for Penn Station.

Ronkonkoma trains will run every two hours, routed between Farmingdale and Jamaica, according to the LIRR. Customers should plan for an extra 50 minutes to commute, with trains changing directions twice, but not stopping at any stations, according to the MTA.

Bethpage commuters will not have any train or bus service and should get on at the Farmingdale station or the Seaford station, or use the Babylon and Montauk branches, the MTA said.

The last train from Ronkonkoma will depart at 11:54 p.m. Friday with the last train leaving Penn Station departing at 11:37 p.m.

Service will resume with a 2:15 a.m. train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma on Monday and a 4:12 a.m. train departing Ronkonkoma for Penn Station.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.