Huntington local loves NYC, but won't go if LIRR shuts down

Deborah Perrone, of Huntington, rides the railroad a few times a month to visit the city.

At the Cold Harbor Spring LIRR station, she told Newsday she took a day off on Friday to make sure she could meet a friend for lunch in New York City and do some shopping before the potential shutdown. She added that she backs the railroad workers union in their contract negotiations. 

“They have to take care of their people — they have to take care of their workers. I 100% support them in this strike. The economy is really rough,” she said at the Cold Spring Harbor station on Friday morning . “But I am going to take care of my business today just in case they have to hold their ground.”

Perrone added that if the railroad does shut down, she will not be making the trek by car.

“I love going into the city, and I will not drive into the city,” she said. “If I’m not going to work, I’m not getting in my car.”

Waiting for his train home to Queens at the Ronkonkoma station, King Horne, 30, also supported MTA workers. 

“It’s tough. I just wish they can just work through it. Just pay the people what they’re worth," said Horne, who uses it at least twice a week to get to his job at a midtown post office. 

He said the strike would complicate both his commute and visits to family and friends on Long Island, calling the LIRR “convenient,” “cleaner” and “much faster” than the subway.