Commuter Alert: LIRR Service Changes Start For Amtrak Repairs

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Long Island Rail Road commuters should expect service changes Monday as track work that's expected to last at least three months gets underway.

Some trains will be re-routed while others will be canceled. The Babylon and Port Washington branches are most affected, with various changes depending on the time of day.

Candace Lee, of Queens, told CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas she depends on the LIRR to get to work every day.

"I take the 8:21 train. Ever since the track changes, I have to take the 9:19, so it's a big difference. I get to work a lot later," she said.

Ronnie Holzer's said her train from Syosset was cancelled.

"I took the next train," she said. "Not that long, it was about a 10-minute delay."

To accommodate the increased crowds, the LIRR is adding two additional morning trains and three early-evening trains, and more train cars will also be added at certain times to increase capacity.

This is all a result of Amtrak's effort to update its aging infrastructure at Penn Station. Once complete, three tracks will be upgraded.

"We checked on train time, and there was no delays on the Long Beach Branch for us," said Diane Sanders, of Oceanside.

"My train is only 34 minutes away in Valley Stream. I've been lucky to not experience any issues, but we're going to knock on wood that nothing happens," Bre Jordan said.

"I think sometimes it gets frustrating, especially with the congestion of so many Long Island commuters," said Kenny Preston, of Deer Park. "There's definitely a need for it to get resolved and done fast."

In the meantime, Lee said she's changing her routine so she isn't caught off guard again.

"With these differences, you have to check every single day," she said.

Some tips for avoiding the congestion include using the subway for travel between Atlantic Terminal and Manhattan, or use train at the start or end of the peak periods to have the best chance of getting a seat.

For a full list of service changes, see below:

Babylon Branch

• An extra AM Peak train will depart Freeport at 5:43 AM, stopping at Baldwin (5:46 AM), Rockville Centre (5:49 AM) and Jamaica (6:06 AM), arriving Penn Station at 6:24 AM.
• The 6:56 AM express train from Wantagh, due at Penn Station at 7:43 AM, will be rerouted to Atlantic Terminal (arriving at 7:45 AM), with an added stop at Jamaica for connecting service.
• The current 7:44 AM train from Merrick, stopping at Freeport, Baldwin and Penn Station, will depart three minutes earlier at 7:41 AM, and will terminate at Jamaica, where customers can board connecting trains to points west.
• The 8:25 AM train from Freeport, stopping at Baldwin, Rockville Centre, Jamaica and Penn Station, will be rerouted to Atlantic Terminal (arriving 9:07 AM).
• The 6:10 PM train from Penn Station to Rockville Centre, Baldwin and Freeport will originate from Atlantic Terminal at 6:10 PM and add a Jamaica stop at 6:30 PM (January 7 through February 1 only). Customers from Penn Station can take the 6:08 PM train to Huntington and transfer at Jamaica for connecting service.
• The 6:33 PM train from Penn Station to Babylon will be canceled and combined with the 6:36 PM train from Penn Station, which will be extended to Babylon, making all local stops. (January 7 through February 1 only).
• An extra PM Peak train will depart Hunterspoint Avenue at 7:02 PM, stopping at Jamaica, Rockville Centre and Freeport (arriving at 7:42 PM).

Far Rockaway Branch

• The 8:10 AM westbound peak train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station will be canceled. The next scheduled train to Penn Station departs Far Rockaway at 8:21 AM, or consider the 7:49 AM train from Far Rockaway.
• The 5:32 PM peak train from Penn Station, due at Far Rockaway at 6:24 PM, will instead originate at Jamaica at 5:52 PM. Customers at Penn Station can take the 5:23 PM train to Long Beach or the 5:24 PM train to Freeport and change at Jamaica for connecting service.
• The 5:53 PM westbound off-peak train from Far Rockaway to Penn Station will be rerouted to Atlantic Terminal instead of Penn Station. Customers can transfer at Jamaica for connecting service to Penn.

Hempstead Branch

• The 5:38 PM train from Penn Station, due at Hempstead at 6:36 PM, will instead originate from Atlantic Terminal at 5:46 PM. Customers at Penn Station can take the 5:36 PM train to Babylon and change at Jamaica for connecting service to Hempstead.
• The 7:05 PM train from Penn Station, due at Hempstead at 7:56 PM, will instead originate from Atlantic Terminal at 7:09 PM. Customers at Penn Station can take the 7:08 PM train to Babylon and change at Jamaica for connecting service to Hempstead.

Long Beach Branch

• The 8:03 AM train from Long Beach to Penn Station will be rerouted to Atlantic Terminal (arriving at 8:54 AM), with an added stop at Jamaica for connecting service.

Montauk Branch (These changes in effect from January 7 through February 1 only)

• The 5:30 AM train from Speonk to Long Island City will terminate in Jamaica. The next scheduled train to Hunterspoint Avenue/Long Island City departs Jamaica at 7:23 AM. (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 5:39 AM train from Montauk to Long Island City will terminate in Jamaica. The next scheduled train to Hunterspoint Avenue departs Jamaica at 8:25 AM, which will make an added stop at Long Island City (January 7 through February 1 only).

Oyster Bay Branch (These changes are in effect from January 7 through February 1 only)

• The 4:59 PM peak train from Hunterspoint Avenue will depart 2 minutes earlier at 4:57 PM.
• The 6:16 PM peak train from Penn Station will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:14 PM.
• The 6:41 PM peak train from Hunterspoint Avenue will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:39 PM.

Port Jefferson Branch

• The 4:31 PM peak train from Penn Station to Huntington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 4:29 PM (In effect January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 5:06 PM express from Penn Station, stopping at Syosset, Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington, will be canceled and combined with the 5:17 PM train from Penn Station, which runs express to Westbury, then stops at Hicksville, Syosset, Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington.
• The 5:33 PM train from Penn Station to Hicksville will be extended with added stops at Syosset and Cold Spring Harbor.
• The 5:52 PM train from Long Island City to Port Jefferson will have an added stop at Huntington.

Port Washington Branch

• An extra train will depart Penn Station at 3:40 PM, stopping at Woodside, then making all local stops to Great Neck (arriving at 4:15 PM).
• The 5:50 PM peak train from Penn Station, due at Great Neck at 6:19 PM, will be canceled and combined with the 5:56 PM train to Port Washington, which will make all local stops to Great Neck.

(The following service changes will be in effect from January 7 through February 1 only)

• The 6:31 AM off-peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Douglaston (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 7:55 AM off-peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Murray Hill (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 8:21 AM off-peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 8:19 AM. (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 8:51 AM off-peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Auburndale (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 3:49 PM off-peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Flushing Main Street (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 4:22 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Plandome (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 4:43 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will not stop at Manhasset (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 6:11 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:09 PM. (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 6:14 PM peak train from Penn Station to Great Neck will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:12 PM (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 6:24 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:22 PM (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 7:01 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:59 PM (January 7 through February 1 only).
• The 7:27 PM peak train from Penn Station to Port Washington will depart 2 minutes earlier at 7:25 PM (January 7 through February 1 only).

Ronkonkoma Branch

• An extra AM Peak train will depart Farmingdale at 5:12 AM, stopping at Bethpage (5:16 AM), Hicksville (5:22 AM), Mineola (5:37 AM) and Jamaica (5:46 AM), arriving at Penn Station at 6:05 AM.
• An extra train will depart Penn Station at 1:42 PM, stopping at Woodside, Jamaica, Mineola, Hicksville, Bethpage, then local stops to Ronkonkoma (arriving at 3:07 PM).
• The 6:21 PM peak train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma will depart 2 minutes earlier at 6:19 PM (January 7 through February 1 only).

For more information, click here.

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