More Train Service Coming
The Long Island Rail Road may add midday service on the South and North Forks, and double weekend service to the North Fork during the summer, with the goals of providing more travel options and reducing traffic congestion.
L.I.R.R. officials and a coalition of elected officials and community groups have been discussing enhanced train service on both forks. With regard to the South Fork, discussions have focused on additional intra-Island travel east of Speonk. Proposed service enhancements would provide new morning and evening trains for commuting between Speonk and Montauk, as well as additional midday travel.
Representatives of the North Fork expressed support for additional morning and midday service. A revised weekday schedule would increase service to four round trips between Greenport and Ronkonkoma and allow for a midday arrival in New York City, as requested by North Fork residents. Additional Ronkonkoma-to-Greenport round trips were also proposed for summer weekends.
Changes to the Greenport weekday schedule could go into effect as early as November, with additional summer service to begin next year, according to Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., who has facilitated the discussions. Additional service on the South Fork is a longer-range plan, with the identification of infrastructure needs for rail service being a prerequisite. Discussions are ongoing, and formal planning could begin in 2019.
“Our journey to provide more trains and commuter service for our local residents has taken a major step forward,” Mr. Thiele said in a statement issued on Monday. “We challenged the L.I.R.R. to provide additional service opportunities to be more responsive to local residents and businesses and they delivered.”
“Improving rail service to the South Fork is one of the only opportunities to decrease the growing vehicle traffic crisis in this region,” East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said in a statement. “I am encouraged by the unified efforts of the Towns of East Hampton and Southampton, L.I.R.R., and Assemblyman Thiele and Senator [Kenneth] LaValle to bring improved train shuttle services to the South Fork.”
Prior to implementation of enhanced service, L.I.R.R. staff will advise the Metropolitan Transit Authority board of the anticipated changes. At that point, a timeline for service implementation would be developed while the railroad reorganizes crew and equipment allocations.