LIRR restores service after storm
Long Island commuters returning to the LIRR system after it was shut down for more than 24 hours during the storm encountered scarce options and plentiful delays.
Following its first weather-related shutdown in four years, the Long Island Rail Road overnight restored limited service on most of its branches, although the Far Rockaway, Long Beach, Hempstead, Greenport and West Hempstead branches remained suspended.
Commuters from Valley Stream were directed to catch trains out of Lynbrook. And those destined for Grand Central Madison were further put out, as scheduled service to the LIRR’s new Manhattan service was replaced with "extremely limited" shuttle service between Jamaica and Grand Central.
The history-making blizzard battered the LIRR, freezing track switches, interrupting connectivity between trains and the electrified third rail, and dropping trees onto tracks.
Throughout the morning, the LIRR reported delays ranging from 10 to 20 minutes on all its operating branches.
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.
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