LIRR track litter a rail shame
Old rail ties and debris seen near LIRR tracks in Mineola on April 27 Credit: Kevin P Coughlin
Train travel can be a tough haul, with cramped quarters, expensive tickets and annoying delays. Long Island Rail Road passengers shouldn't have to tolerate smelly, ugly refuse the LIRR has dumped along its right of way, too -- nor should the people who live near the tracks.
Riders often glimpse piles of old wooden ties, rusting rail scraps, buckets and more. Last week, LIRR officials said they're making headway in cleaning up the mounds of moldering material. For years the LIRR has strewn its right of way with discarded construction materials while doing maintenance and repairs, rather than disposing of them. This sets a terrible example -- how can a railroad that doesn't clean up after itself expect riders to? -- and gives the impression of a careless organization. Many of these eyesores have been there for years.
LIRR officials say money's tight and in the past they've directed resources more toward working on tracks than cleaning up. But a lack of funding means it's even more crucial to tidy as you go. Sending out crews years later to eliminate these messes is inefficient, and nasty.
Thanks to rules implemented in January, new projects are not "complete" until sites are clean. The LIRR also says it's making progress on eradicating junk piles. We hope this problem will be solved soon.
Get the right of way clean and keep it clean. For the LIRR's riders and neighbors, that's not too much to ask.
