On the weekends of Nov. 14-15 and Nov. 21-22. Long Island Rail Road crews working near the Hicksville Station will upgrade switches and install and test new signals, and install longer-lasting concrete ties. The changes will improve reliability along the corridor and provide the capacity needed in preparation for the new third track between Hicksville and Floral Park, and will require service adjustments.
The service changes in effect for those two weekends will be as followed:
Port Jefferson Branch
Saturday
Eastbound train service will operate between Penn Station and Mineola. Customers should transfer at Mineola for connecting bus service to Hicksville, Syosset, Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington.
Westbound buses from Huntington, Cold Spring Harbor, Syosset and Hicksville will operate hourly to Mineola. Customers should transfer at Mineola for connecting train service to Penn Station.
Carle Place and Westbury customers can utilize the N22 and N24 NICE bus routes, which will be cross-honoring LIRR fares between Mineola and Hicksville.
Train service between Huntington and Port Jefferson will operate every two hours. Eastbound customers will transfer at Mineola for bus service to Huntington where they will transfer to train service for points east of Huntington. Westbound customers will transfer at Huntington for bus service to Mineola where they will transfer to train service for the remainder of their trip.
Sunday
Train service between Penn Station and Huntington will operate hourly. Most trains will make all stops between New Hyde Park and Huntington including Carle Place and Westbury. Trains between Huntington and Port Jefferson will operate every two hours.
Ronkonkoma Branch
Customers should plan for an additional 60 minutes of travel. Train service between Penn Station and Ronkonkoma will operate every two hours. Trains will be rerouted to and from the south shore via the Babylon and Central Branches.
Ronkonkoma Branch trains will not make stops at Bethpage or Babylon. Trains will stop at Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park, Wyandanch, Pinelawn, Farmingdale and Jamaica but will change directions twice.
Trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport will operate on adjusted schedules, with departures from Greenport at 6:37 a.m., 12:37 p.m., 6:37 p.m., and 11:17 p.m. Customers on the 11:17 p.m. train from Greenport on Saturday night will connect at Ronkonkoma with a bus for service to Hicksville, where train service is available.
There will be no train or bus service at Bethpage station. Customers are recommended to board at Seaford on Saturday and Hicksville on Sunday for direct train service.
Oyster Bay Branch
Some or most Westbound trains will depart Oyster Bay 14 minutes earlier than usual. Eastbound trains will depart up to one hour earlier than usual.
Customers traveling on all other branches should check revised schedules for possible changes in connecting train times prior to traveling. Customers wishing to avoid service changes should use the Babylon or Montauk branches.
Overview: LIRR Expansion Project from Floral Park to Hicksville
The LIRR Expansion Project will add a third track from Floral Park to Hicksville, reducing train congestion and delays and enabling true bi-directional service during peak hours. This transformative work includes several related projects, including the construction of additional parking garages and improved station access, retaining and sound attenuation walls, improvements to rail bridges and the removal of the eight street-level railroad crossings in the corridor. Construction is being handled in a way to minimize the impact on daily routines, with extensive mitigation and public outreach efforts to local communities.
The LIRR Expansion Project is part of a multibillion-dollar modernization of the Long Island Rail Road, the largest investment the railroad has received in decades. Once the work is complete, the LIRR will have increased its capacity by roughly 50%. Together, the upgrades will help transform transportation across the region and provide a reliable, state-of-the-art rail system for Long Islanders.
Many Channels for Services Updates
Information about the service changes noted in this press release and all planned service changes is available through the LIRR’s real-time service information sources:
LIRR TrainTime app - The LIRR encourages customers to download and use the newly revamped LIRR TrainTime app, the best source of real-time train information including where a particular train is currently located, track assignments, seating capacity, schedules, and a host of other helpful tools, including push notifications, to help plan your trip safely. The app is available for free on both iOS and Android devices.
Email and text message service updates – Customers are urged to sign up to receive the alerts by visiting MyMTAAlerts.com. To avoid unwanted messages, a user can tailor the messages to the specific branch, and the specific times of day.
Social Media – Twitter users can follow @LIRR to receive updates of a similar nature to the email and text alerts, shortened to fit Twitter’s format.
The above communications channels can be accessed while at home or on the go. For customers who are located at stations, the LIRR will post the latest service updates on digital signs at station platforms and will make audio announcements over public address systems, and on-board announcements made by train crews.
For those who prefer the telephone, information is available from the LIRR’s Customer Service Center by calling 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and saying: “Long Island Rail Road” Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the LIRR at 511.