LIRR needs to make more changes
Some LIRR trains have been overcrowded and transfers at Jamaica station, above, have been frustrating, and sometimes badly timed. Credit: Howard Schnapp
It has been a rough couple of weeks working the railroads.
After the joyful opening of Grand Central Madison, the Long Island Rail Road's new East Side terminal, many commuters have had little to celebrate.
The massive changes that paved the way for full service to Grand Central arrived with severe growing pains. Some Penn Station trains were overcrowded. Transfers at Jamaica were frustrating, and sometimes badly timed. The breakdown of riders who traveled to Penn versus Grand Central did not initially match expectations. And the new service to Brooklyn — which relies on a change at Jamaica for shuttles to Atlantic Terminal — produced potentially dangerous situations as crowds rushed up one flight of stairs, across the concourse, and down more stairs, only to miss some shuttles entirely.
To their credit, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials acted quickly, adding more Brooklyn shuttle trains and extra cars to crowded trains heading to Penn, and allowing managers on platforms to hold trains when necessary. Also helpful: newer technology that determines, car by car, how many people are riding.
Some improvement is evident. The average time between trains to Brooklyn has fallen from 12 minutes to less than 8 minutes. Further closing that gap so the shuttle is similar to the subway between Grand Central and Times Square would make commutes less harried and more predictable.
It's important to remember these challenges are part of an unprecedented expansion. It could have been smoother. But there's good reason for the Brooklyn shuttle change, as it eliminates the mess of trains crossing over a series of tracks. And some overcrowding is unsurprising; that may settle as riders shift commuting patterns.
None of that, however, negates riders' legitimate concerns, or the changes MTA and LIRR officials still should make.
That starts with communication. Give riders a better understanding of where to go, what to do, and what their options are, via announcements, the app and signage, particularly at Jamaica. The MTA should broadly survey customers, perhaps via the LIRR app and QR codes posted in the trains and on platforms, to pinpoint trouble spots and find solutions.
The MTA also should double down on getting the long-delayed M9 cars, manufactured by Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., into the fleet. The lack of new cars makes service less reliable and gives the LIRR fewer options. But even before they arrive, the LIRR must remain flexible and pivot as necessary.
Change is hard. Even after immediate issues are resolved, it may take a while before riders get used to new patterns and schedules. But the LIRR promised riders that Grand Central Madison, and everything that came with it, would be a win with more service and improved rides. For many commuters, it already is. For others, it's up to the railroad to turn those promises into the shiny new reality riders want.
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