LIRR crowding that followed Grand Central Madison opening eases, MTA chair says

The intense crowding that LIRR commuters experienced in the initial days after the launch of the railroad’s new service to Grand Central Madison has since “disappeared,” according to the head of the MTA.

Janno Lieber, chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, made the comment Tuesday at an event marking the millionth LIRR ride taken to or from Grand Central since the Long Island Rail Road began full service to its new Manhattan terminal on Feb. 27.

While acknowledging that “the path wasn’t always easy,” Lieber said the cramped conditions that riders endured in the days after the LIRR overhauled its schedule have largely dissipated, with no LIRR trains operating over 90% capacity on “almost all days.” The improvements have come as the LIRR has made various adjustments to its service plan, including adding cars to the most packed trains.

“The crowding issues that we had on about a dozen trains a day on the first week or so, pretty clearly, have disappeared,” said Lieber, who also noted that whatever crowding conditions some riders still encounter are far less severe than they were used to before COVID-19.

Contrary to Lieber's declaration, Port Washington commuter Ariana Parasco said because of the scheduling changes her morning train to Penn Station is regularly "standing room only."

“Nobody can even get through the aisles … I've never taken so many free rides on the LIRR before," said Parasco, referencing conductors' inability to collect tickets in the crowded cars. “I know that they know that they messed up. They’re just trying to sweep the problem under the rug to save this $11 billion blunder.”

For others, the direct access has been a godsend. Naresa Baksh, a nurse practitioner at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said her new commute has been, consistently, "really nice" — getting her home 25 minutes earlier than before. 

"I find it to be so convenient. I've worked on the East Side my whole career … and this is the easiest my commute has ever been," Baksh, of Lynbrook, said. "I don't find it crowded at all. I'm always getting a seat in both directions, coming and going … Everything's been smooth for me."

MTA officials said the millionth ride to or from Grand Central, made on April 7, marked a major milestone in the $11.1 billion East Side Access effort, which began about 25 years ago.

And, despite complaints from some riders — about two-thirds of whom are not using the new terminal — Lieber said ridership has been steadily growing since Grand Central Madison opened. LIRR interim president Catherine Rinaldi said that since Feb. 27 the LIRR has carried more than 200,000 riders on 16 different days — a mark that the railroad had previously reached just twice since March 2020.

"With the millionth rider traveling through Grand Central Madison mere months after the terminal's opening, it shows just how essential this service has already become for New Yorkers over only a short period of time,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.