L.I.R.R. Plans Make Sparks

Hope To Lease East Hampton Station

East Hampton Village Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. has been workin' on the railroad. He is looking for a way for the village to take possession of the former ticket office at the Long Island Rail Road's East Hampton station, which its owner, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, wants to use as a revenue producer.

The L.I.R.R., an agency of the M.T.A., has put the building up for rent, along with stations in Southampton, Westhampton, Bay Shore, Glen Cove, Garden City, and Roslyn - none of which employs ticket agents any longer.

A Few Callers

To get the word out, the railroad last week ran ads in The New York Times, Newsday, and several local newspapers requesting proposals from commercial as well as nonprofit organizations for the spaces. The M.T.A. also wants to lease several stations on its Metro-North line.

"A handful of callers" responded by telephone this week about the East End stations, said Michael Charles, an L.I.R.R. spokesman, a couple of whom expressed an interest in renting both the East Hampton and Southampton stations.

"We might even sell," Mr. Charles said, "but the railroad would want to retain some rights." That's probably "not in the cards," though, he added.

The idea is to provide a "presence"in the now vacant stations, said Susan McGowan, of the L.I.R.R. public affairs office, and possibly a service for railroad patrons.

"We are sensitive to the historic nature of the East Hampton station," Ms. McGowan said. She added that it is "early in the process," and that the M.T.A. is "looking to generate interest and ideas." She said the agency would communicate with the Mayor and the Town Supervisor "as we get closer to choosing" a tenant.

Exempt From Zoning?

Protesting the move to "privatize" the station by leasing it, Mr. Rickenbach urged the transportation authority Monday "to donate the facility to the Village of East Hampton."

"God knows what might go in there," said Mr. Rickenbach. "We're very sensitive about that location," he said, adding that he was also concerned about extending the village's commercial district.

"We could be in treacherous waters," said Larry Cantwell, the Village Administrator, explaining that the M.T.A. is exempt from village zoning, planning, and review control. The question, however, is whether the agency remains exempt if it leases its space to a third party.

Agents Eliminated

The railroad eliminated ticket agents at several stations, including East Hampton, last September for economic reasons. Since then, East Hampton riders have used a ticket vending machine.

A promotional brochure describes the former ticket office/waiting room as a "one-story brick structure with canopied area, quaint interior." The roughly 22-by-43-foot structure sits on a 75-by-700-foot property parallel to the tracks, which includes "a walkway, parking, and automobile drive-through lot in front of the station building."

In a letter to the M.T.A. Monday, Mr. Rickenbach, characterizing the agency as "determined to abandon its responsibility for operating and maintaining the station," said the village would preserve the building's "historical significance." Indeed, East Hampton spent $750,000 in 1993 to improve the parking and traffic around the station, including on M.T.A. property, recalled Mr. Cantwell. "We couldn't get them [the railroad] to spend a dime."

"A Certain Dignity"

In addition, the East Hampton Ladies Village Improvement Society and the Garden Club jointly have spent some $12,000 in the past few years landscaping the area, maintaining the lawn, and planting roses and trees.

Robert Hefner, the village's historic consultant, noted that under L.I.R.R. control, the station's roof joists were "rotted and water was eroding the mortar of the brick walls."

The building has "a certain dignity in its original use as a train station," added Mr. Hefner. "It will be hard to find a compatible use that won't detract." He noted that the new roadway and proposed elevated platforms all take away from its "character of a rural resort station."

People here probably will find the scheme "appalling," said Mr. Cantwell. East Hamptoners, he added, have an "attachment to that station."

Citizens Want Montauk Spruced Up

Nicholas LaRocco, director of infrastructure for the Long Island Rail Road, visited the Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee on Monday night to present the plans for changes and improvements to the Montauk station. Members of the committee seized the opportunity to reprimand Mr. LaRocco for what one member called the "sorry state" of the existing yard.

The proposal calls for raising the existing platform four feet in order to accommodate the new bilevel cars that the railroad plans to introduce. The rest of the East End's train stations will have to be similarly modified.

The new trains will bring the railroad into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and will enable East End riders to travel directly to Penn Station without transferring at Jamaica.

Faster Speeds

The L.I.R.R. and its parent company, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, were criticized byEast End officials last winter when they first revealed plans for the new platforms as well as the elimination of ticket agents at the Southampton and East Hampton stations.

At a meeting with East Hampton officials at the time, Town Supervisor Cathy Lester had sternly suggested that the railroad discuss its plans with the various citizen advisory committees.

The new stainless steel trains proposed by the L.I.R.R. will be able to travel 80 m.p.h., much faster than the current 65 m.p.h. A dual-mode design is planned, enabling the trains to switch from diesel to electric operation. Better pickup and swifter brakes are other advantages, according to Mr. LaRocco. The trains will have larger, more comfortable restrooms and wider two-by-two seating, all handicapped accessible.

The existing platforms will be shortened to 510 feet from the current 1,300 feet and will accommodate six bilevel railroad cars, instead of the current nine single-level cars. The shorter platforms will allow more parking spaces in the lot.

On the platform will be gooseneck lighting along with a covered shelter made out of metal with a corrugated roof. Mr. LaRocco assured the committee that the design had been carefully planned to retain a rustic, East End-type of look. And that statement was what drew the ire of committee members.

When asked if landscaping or paving the dirt parking lot was included in the $1 million-plus that would be spent for the improvements in Montauk, Mr. LaRocco said no.

"Why not?" asked Harry Ellis, chairman of the committee. "It's sorely needed down there." Also mentioned was the dilapidated trailer and HazMat shed on the property. Mr. LaRocco said the trailer was used for crew quarters. He had no idea what was in the shed. "If anything, it would be diesel fuel," he said.

Willing To Listen

Referring to beautifying the area, he told the group that although landscaping wasn't included in the proposal he would be willing to listen to ideas.

Most committee members seemed indifferent to the plan, except for John Gosman Jr. "We've lost a lot of business out here because of transportation. I'm thrilled with this proposal," he said.

The committee also welcomed new members recently approved by the Town Board. They are Kathy Vegessi, Rosemarie Nolan, Ray Cortell, Wayne Schoenbrun, and Linda Barnds.