LIRR Delays Continue, but Hamptons Train is on Track

The Long Island Rail Road will have service delays and cancellations going well into next week, due to a switch fire -- but if you're going to the Hamptons this weekend, you're alright.

The commuter rail agency has announced that the "Cannonball," an express train to the Hamptons, will run on schedule this weekend.

"It's some of our most crowded service and a money maker for the Long Island Railroad," said Joe Calderone, LIRR spokesperson. "This is a tourist destination, its the last weekend in august, people are on vacation, it's also an economic issue to people at the East End of the island, so we think it's very important to continue this service."

Lest other commuters be upset about special treatment being given to the rich and fabulous, Calderone noted that they are "not reducing any additional service to accommodate this Hampton's service."

Some commuters were still a little steamed when asked how they felt about Hamptons trains running and regular commuter trains being canceled or delayed.
 
"It's a little frustrating", said Amanda Klinglehoefer at Penn Station -- she commutes to work in New Jersey from Long Island  and says she has been getting up half an hour early all week to get to work on time.

Others saw the logic.

"If they want to bring city dollars to the island that's fine," said Chris Scuderi, who was taking an early train home from Penn Station for the weekend. "I live halfway to Montauk and a lot of the mom and pop businesses in the Hamptons depend on it."

"The weekend is the important train, so we don't want any problems with this one," said Lauri Helfand who lives in Kew Gardens, but takes the train to Montauk on the weekends.

The LIRR said approximately 25 percent of more than 300 tests that must be run to insure safe operation of the signal system have been completed.

The full LIRR weekend advisory is below:

West Hempstead Branch
Weekend customers on the LIRR’s West Hempstead branch, one of its least traveled routes, will be served via buses between Valley Stream and West Hempstead. 

Bus Service Locust Manor, Laurelton, and Rosedale
Customers at Locust Manor, Laurelton, and Rosedale stations will have bus service to and from Jamaica throughout the weekend in place of trains as a result of the switch and signal testing.

Bus Service Hollis and Queens Village

Eastbound Buses Saturday:  Customers traveling eastbound to Hollis and Queens Village stations on Saturday, August 28 will have bus service from Jamaica Station; trains will operate westbound from Hollis and Queens Village on Saturday.
Westbound Buses Sunday:  Customers traveling westbound from Hollis and Queens Village stations on Sunday, August 29 will have bus service to Jamaica Station; trains will operate eastbound to Hollis and Queens Village on Sunday.

Bus Service St. Albans

Eastbound Buses Saturday:  Customers traveling eastbound to St. Albans Station on Saturday, August 28 will have bus service from Jamaica Station; trains will operate westbound from St. Albans on Saturday.
Westbound Buses Sunday:  Customers traveling westbound from St. Albans Station on Sunday, August 29 will have bus service to Jamaica Station; trains will operate eastbound to St. Albans on Sunday.

Far Rockaway Branch
Far Rockaway Branch customers traveling to and from Penn Station on the weekend will make their connections at Valley Stream instead of Jamaica .

Babylon Branch
Babylon Branch customers traveling to and from Atlantic Terminal on the weekend will make their connections at Valley Stream instead of Jamaica .

Oyster Bay Branch
Westbound Oyster Bay Branch customers traveling to LIRR western terminals on the weekend will make their connections at Mineola instead of Jamaica.

Service Updates:
Customers should monitor the LIRR’s website (at www.mta.info/lirr) for these updates. For up-to-date travel service information, customers can also contact the LIRR’s Travel Information Center in Suffolk County at 631-231-LIRR, in Nassau County at 516-822-LIRR or in New York City at 718-217-LIRR.  The Travel Information Center’s TDD telephone number for the hearing impaired is 718-558-3022.

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