Valley Stream Switch and Signal Improvements Project
No Service Through Valley Stream - Weekend of October 24-25

 

 

 

Customers planning to travel via the LIRR’s South Shore branches on the weekend of October 24-25 are strongly advised to use stations on the LIRR's North Shore and Main Line branches instead. Over that weekend, service through Valley Stream will be suspended while the LIRR adds state-of-the-art technology with a major upgrade of switches and signals. Buses will replace many trains and other trains will be rerouted.

Please note:

• Six branches will be impacted … Babylon, Far Rockaway, Long Beach, Montauk, Ronkonkoma (east to Greenport) and West Hempstead.
• Buses will replace eastbound and westbound trains between Jamaica and Baldwin/Rosedale/Lynbrook/St. Albans.
• Babylon Branch customers at stations Freeport through Lindenhurst will face a major detour - and will have to travel east to go west, then transfer at Babylon for service through Hicksville and all points west. This routing will also apply on the reverse trip, with customers traveling from Hicksville to Babylon for service to the west from Lindenhurst to Freeport.
• Montauk Branch trains will operate, but departure times and some routes will change. In addition, buses will replace trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport.

Therefore - customers should seek ways to use the North Shore and Main Line branches (Hempstead, Port Jefferson, Port Washington and stations Ronkonkoma through Bethpage), which will not be affected by this project.  If you are planning to travel on the LIRR that weekend, you can access a helpful video that explains the project and its impact, as well as special schedules (dated October 24-25) on our website. 
This project, once completed, will bring greater train service reliability to customers of the LIRR at this critical switching point. Call the LIRR’s 24-hour Travel Information Center (631-231-LIRR; 516-822-LIRR; or 718-217-LIRR) for additional assistance.

No Montauk Branch Service - Weekend of October 17-18
Service between Babylon and Speonk will be suspended during the weekend of October 17-18 in support of a soil remediation project being performed by National Grid in the Bay Shore area.
Eastbound customers will board buses at Babylon for stations Bay Shore through Speonk, and transfer to trains at Speonk to complete their trips.
Westbound customers from Montauk through Westhampton will take trains to Speonk where they will transfer to express bus service to Babylon, and then transfer back to trains to complete their trips.
Customers from stations Speonk through Bay Shore will board buses at their stations and transfer to trains at Babylon to complete their trips. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 50 minutes. Visit our website for additional details.

New Schedule - November 9
A new schedule reflecting the completion, continuation and beginning of various work projects will take effect on Monday, November 9.  Copies of the new schedule, which runs through March 7, 2010, will be available in timetable racks at western terminals and stations around the system during the week of November 3.  A preview will also be available on our website. The new schedule will reflect the following:

• Completion of work projects on the Babylon, Montauk, Oyster Bay and Port Washington branches and the restoration of schedules
• Start-up or continuation of midday, weekend or overnight work on the Babylon, Flatbush, Long Beach, Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson and Port Washington branches

Please review copies of the new schedules for details of the changes required by these work projects.

Naming The ‘Dinkies’
The contest to name two recently retired LIRR locomotives - No. 397 and No. 398 (aka: the Dinkies) - has concluded and the winner has been named!  Michael Sprintz (shown here) won the contest by suggesting that the two mini-locomotives be named “Dashing Dan” and “Dashing Dottie” … famous names from LIRR history. 
The Oyster Bay Railroad Museum, which is open to the public every Saturday from noon til 4 PM, will maintain and display the pair of diminutive locomotives as part of their historic equipment collection and the LIRR’s 175th Anniversary celebration. As a prize for winning the naming contest, Mr. Sprintz received a family four-pack of tickets to the Broadway show “Burn the Floor.” Congratulations Michael, and thanks for the help!

Oyster Festival
LI's largest street/waterfront fair will be held on the weekend of October 17-18 in Oyster Bay. Tens of thousands are expected to attend, and we will be providing extra service to help them get there. Check our website for the extra service (including for Port Jefferson customers), as well as our Oyster Festival Getaway package (discounted rail prices, free oysters and more). Given the number of Festival-folk, the train is the best travel option available. The oyster-eating contests are legendary, and there are food vendors galore ready to satisfy your shellfish cravings and more. So here are two suggestions: save your appetite … and take the train.

Holiday Shows
New York’s two big Holiday Shows, Wintuk - Cirque du Soleil and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, will be starting in early November. These very special productions make for great family entertainment … and are worthy of becoming a holiday tradition for you and yours. Visit our website and you’ll find all the details you’ll need to enjoy both the Wintuk and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular shows … including discounted show tickets and free round-trip train tickets.

Food Drive Results
Our thanks to the generous customers and employees who pitched in during September’s Hunger Action Month.  Your donations came to a total of 10,400 pounds of food for families and individuals who appreciated every single ounce!  Long Island Cares, Island Harvest, the men and women of the Long Island Rail Road … and the recipients of your generosity and concern … take this opportunity to recognize you for addressing the needs of your less fortunate neighbors.

September OTP (95.61%)
September was another excellent month for On Time Performance, as we posted a mark of 95.61% … the fifth “best-ever” monthly mark this year … and well above our goal for 2009.

BRANCH	AM Peak	PM Peak	Off- Peak	Total September 2009	Total September 2008
Babylon	96.5	91.7	96.3	95.6	95.0
Far Rockaway	98.3	98.4	98.3	98.3	97.5
Hicksville/Huntington	96.8	93.5	95.0	95.1	94.7
Hempstead	97.6	96.3	98.5	98.1	97.6
Long Beach	95.6	90.5	95.6	94.9	96.9
Montauk	96.4	91.3	93.4	93.5	94.1
Oyster Bay	95.2	88.9	96.3	95.1	92.8
Port Jefferson	93.5	96.6	94.9	94.9	93.9
Port Washington	97.4	94.5	94.6	94.9	94.4
Greenport/Ronkonkoma	96.3	95.2	94.0	94.6	93.4
West Hempstead	98.1	97.6	97.7	97.7	97.7
TOTAL	96.6	93.8	95.8	95.6	95.2

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