LIRR aims for Tuesday service, though it may be limited

The Long Island Rail Road, which has been shut down since Sunday night, aims to be up and running by Tuesday morning, but how much service it will be able to offer remains to be seen, the LIRR’s president said Tuesday morning.

In an interview with Newsday, LIRR President Robert Free said even with 1,800 employees deployed, systemwide issues still remain, including vehicles stuck on tracks, a downed tree and wires east of Great Neck, and third rail electrical connectivity problems in Lynbrook and Farmingdale.

For all the LIRR’s efforts at clearing its tracks, "the wind just blows the snow right back on it," Free said. "I’ve been here 34 years, and this is one of the worst storms that I’ve seen."

After the strong winds and snow subside, Free said LIRR officials will assess the condition of the system and come up with a restoration plan that will prioritize branches with the highest ridership.

"The goal is to provide service tomorrow. To what level? I don’t know. It’s still too early," Free said. "We want to provide as much service as we can, but we want to do it safely."

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.