LIRR Thursday AM & PM Rush Service Info

Signal men performing functional tests following fire at Hall Tower.
Signal men performing functional tests following fire at Hall Tower in Jamaica. Photo courtesy of the MTA Long Island Rail Road.

Just a short time ago, the MTA Long Island Rail Road sent out a press release with the latest planned service information stemming from the Jamaica Tower fire. There will continue to be major service interruptions in the form of overcrowding, delayed rides, & canceled trains. Here are the complete details:

MTA Long Island Rail Road is advising customers to expect significant schedule changes and delays during Thursday’s morning and evening rush hours (August 26) as a result of damage to a major switching tower at Jamaica Station caused by a cable fire on Monday morning.

LIRR crews are continuing the time-consuming process of thoroughly assessing the extent of the damage to the tower’s switching board and wiring. Since Monday, crews have been working round-the-clock on repairs and the LIRR expects the repair phase of the work to the tower’s switching machine and wiring to be completed by late Wednesday evening.

In the repair process, over two-hundred wires needed to be checked for damage and replacements made. However, as the LIRR enters into the testing phase, it is possible additional damage could be discovered, requiring further equipment replacements.

It is likely that the testing and additional replacements will take several days to complete. Intricate and thorough testing must be performed on the 77 switching points and 53 signals that Hall Tower controls. It is anticipated that off-peak service adjustments may be required during this testing phase.

From the preliminary LIRR investigation into the incident, it appears that the cause of the cable fire was weather-related, but the investigation is ongoing.

Hall Tower is a key signal tower through which trains are switched to appropriate tracks into and out of Jamaica Station. With its electrical signal system disabled, trains can only proceed through Hall using a manual system employed to ensure maximum safety during an emergency such as this.

Thursday AM Service Plan – Aug. 26 – Eastbound & Westbound

While the Thursday AM Rush service plan includes cancellation of 33 westbound AM rush hour trains, the LIRR will be running 75 percent of the 144 trains that normally operate. However, there will be residual delays from added station stops.

Customers will be able to exit or board trains at Jamaica Station, however trains stopping at Jamaica will not be held for scheduled connections to/from Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal, Hunterspoint Avenue, and Long Island City. LIRR station personnel will be available at Jamaica to assist customers with service information.

Westbound AM Service Plan

LIRR service on the Port Washington Branch will operate normally.

There is no train service between West Hempstead and Valley Stream – bus service will be provided for train service at Valley Stream.

There will be no westbound train service from St. Albans – bus service will be provided between St. Albans and Jamaica

The modified plan also includes service changes for the eastbound (reverse) AM Rush.

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Westbound AM Peak Train Cancellations – Thursday, Aug. 26:

The following westbound AM Rush trains will be canceled in the modified service plan:

Port Jefferson Branch:

The 5:59 AM Port Jefferson train due in Hunterspoint Ave at 7:41 AM

The 6:45 AM Port Jefferson train due in Hunterspoint Ave at 8:30 AM

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Huntington:

The 6:38 AM Huntington train due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:36 AM

The 7:12 AM Huntington train due in Penn Station at 8:10 AM

The 7:28 AM Cold Spring Harbor train due in Penn Station at 8:25 AM

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Hicksville:

The 6:25 AM Hicksville train due in Penn Station at 7:11 AM

—-

Ronkonkoma Branch:

The 6:57 AM Farmingdale train due in Penn Station at 7:48 AM

The 7:04 AM Ronkonkoma train due in Penn Station at 8:19 AM

The 7:19 AM Ronkonkoma train due in Penn Station at 8:28 AM

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Babylon Branch:

The 5:18 AM Wantagh train due in Penn Station at 6:08 AM

The 6:15 AM Babylon train due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:27 AM

The 6:57 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 7:40 AM

The 7:29 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 8:13 AM

The 8:10 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 8:50 AM

The 8:16 AM Babylon train due in Penn Station at 9:31 AM

The 8:25 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 9:08 AM

The 8:35 AM Babylon train due in Penn Station at 9:37 AM

—-

Long Beach Branch:

The 6:54 AM Long Beach train due in Atlantic Terminal 7:49 AM

The 8:03 AM Long Beach train due in Penn Station at 8:54 AM

—-

Hempstead Branch:

The 6:21 AM Hempstead train due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:08 AM

The 6:58 AM Hempstead train due in Penn Station at 7:52 AM

The 8:45 AM Hempstead train due in Atlantic Terminal at 9:34 AM

—-

Far Rockaway Branch:

The 7:18 AM Far Rockaway train due in Atlantic Terminal at 8:11 AM

The 8:03 AM Valley Stream train due in Penn Station at 8:42 AM

The 8:10 AM Far Rockaway train due in Penn Station at 9:05 AM

—-

Montauk Branch:

The 7:12 AM Speonk train due in Hunterspoint Ave at 9:11 AM

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Oyster Bay Branch:

The 6:29 AM train from Oyster Bay due in Jamaica at 7:24 AM

The 7:41 AM train from Oyster Bay due in Hunterspoint Avenue at 8:55 AM

—-

West Hempstead Branch:

The 5:37 AM train from West Hempstead due in Valley Stream at 5:52 AM

The 6:53 AM train from West Hempstead due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:41 AM

The 7:16 AM train from West Hempstead due in Atlantic Terminal at 8:03 AM

The 7:36 AM train from West Hempstead due in Penn Station at 8:29 AM

The 8:28 AM train from West Hempstead due in Atlantic Terminal at 9:16 AM

Eastbound AM (Reverse Peak) Service Plan:

LIRR eastbound, reverse peak service from Atlantic Terminal and Penn Station is expected to operate at regularly scheduled times; however customers should anticipate delays en-route.

There is no eastbound train service from Jamaica to Locust Manor, Laurelton and Rosedale –bus service will be provided.

___________________________

Thursday PM Service Plan – Aug. 26 – Eastbound & Westbound

The LIRR’s modified PM Service Plan for Thursday provides about 68% of the LIRR’s regular 127 trains during the evening rush hour (between 4 PM and 8 PM). Customers are advised to expect canceled trains, and delays.

Customers will be able to exit or board trains at Jamaica Station, however trains making scheduled stops at Jamaica will not be held for scheduled connections from Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal, Hunterspoint Avenue, and Long Island City. LIRR station personnel will be available at Jamaica to assist customers with service information.

To avoid overcrowding at Penn Station and Jamaica, MTA Police will carefully monitor and regulate, if necessary, the number of people entering the LIRR section of Penn Station and/or Jamaica Station, allowing customers access as trains become available.

LIRR station personnel are available at Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn and Jamaica Station to assist customers with service information. The LIRR appreciates the patience and understanding of our customers.

Eastbound PM Service Plan

Regular service will be offered to Port Washington, so customers may want to consider taking that branch if they can make alternate arrangements for the remainder of their trip home.

Aside from the regular Port Washington service, the evening rush hour service from Penn Station will consist of dedicated trains making local stops to Huntington/Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma/Greenport, Long Beach, Babylon and Montauk. Customers are advised to board trains that do not require a change at Jamaica.

LIRR is offering Hempstead and Far Rockaway-bound trains only from Atlantic Terminal in downtown Brooklyn, which can be reached by subway. There will be no Hempstead and Far Rockaway service from Penn Station.

LIRR customers are also advised of service changes if heading for the following destinations as detailed below:

• Oyster Bay: Travel to Mineola for connections to all Oyster Bay branch stops.

• West Hempstead: Travel to Valley Stream where buses will be available to take them onto to their home stations.

• Patchogue, Speonk and Montauk: Customers can connect to those trains at Babylon.

There is no train service between Valley Stream and West Hempstead – bus service will be provided for train service at Valley Stream.

There will be no eastbound train service from St. Albans – bus service will be provided between St. Albans and Jamaica.

—-

Eastbound PM Peak Train Cancellations for Thursday, Aug. 26:

The following eastbound PM Rush trains will be canceled Thursday, August 26 in the modified service plan:

Long Beach Branch:

The 4:15 PM from NY due in Long Beach 5:08 PM

The 5:00 PM from NY due in Long Beach 5:55 PM

The 5:55 PM from NY due in Long Beach 6:51 PM

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Hempstead Branch:

The 4:32 PM from NY due in Hempstead 5:23 PM

The 5:04 PM from NY due in Hempstead 5:57 PM

The 5:38 PM from NY due in Hempstead 6:36 PM

The 5:51 PM from NY due in Hempstead 6:46 PM

The 6:39 PM from NY due in Hempstead 7:33 PM

The 7:05 PM from NY due in Hempstead 7:56 PM

—-

Far Rockaway Branch:

The 4:42 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 5:40 PM

The 5:32 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 6:24 PM

The 6:02 PM from NY due in Far Rockaway 6:58 PM

—-

Oyster Bay Branch:

The 4:18 PM from Hunterspoint Avenue due in Oyster Bay 5:30 PM

The 6:00 PM from Jamaica due in Oyster Bay 6:58 PM

—-

Babylon Branch:

The 3:34 PM from NY due in Wantagh 4:29 PM

The 4:04 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:05 PM

The 4:16 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in Babylon at 5:28 PM

The 4:34 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:39 PM

The 4:52 PM from NY due in Babylon at 5:55 PM

The 5:19 PM from NY due in Wantagh at 6:06 PM

The 5:40 PM from NY due in Seaford at 6:30 PM

The 6:05 PM from NY due in Wantagh at 6:51 PM

The 6:33 PM from NY due in Babylon at 7:35 PM

The 7:41 PM from NY due in Babylon at 8:55 PM

—-

Ronkonkoma Branch:

The 4:34 PM from Atlantic Terminal due Ronkonkoma 5:57 PM

The 7:11 PM from NY due Ronkonkoma 8:33 PM

—-

Port Jefferson Branch:

The 5:47 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 7:30 PM

The 6:08 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 8:00 PM

—-

Huntington:

The 2:54 PM from NY due in Huntington at 3:59 PM

The 4:01 PM from NY due in Huntington at 5:07 PM

The 5:06 PM from NY due in Huntington at 6:07PM

The 5:29 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in Huntington at 6:28 PM

The 6:56 PM from NY due in Huntington at 8:04 PM

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Hicksville:

The 5:33 PM from NY due Hicksville 6:29 PM

The 6:01 PM from NY due Hicksville 6:45 PM

The 6:35 PM from NY due Hicksville 7:22 PM

—-

West Hempstead Branch:

The 4:20 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 5:06 PM

The 5:06 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 5:53 PM

The 5:35 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 6:22 PM

The 6:18 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 7:07 PM

The 7:23 PM from Atlantic Terminal due in West Hempstead 8:10 PM

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Hunterspoint Avenue (Note: the following canceled trains from Hunterspoint Avenue are included in the branch listings above):

The 4:18 PM from Hunters Point Avenue due in Oyster Bay 5:30 PM

The 5:47 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 7:30 PM

The 6:08 PM from Hunterspoint Ave. due in Port Jefferson at 8:00 PM

Westbound PM Service Plan

Westbound (Reverse Peak) Service:

LIRR westbound, reverse peak service to Atlantic Terminal and Penn Station is expected to operate at regularly scheduled times; however customers should anticipate delays en-route.

There is no train service between Valley Stream and West Hempstead – bus service will be provided for train service at Valley Stream.

There is no westbound train service from Locust Manor, Laurelton and Rosedale to Jamaica, bus service will be provided.

Westbound (Reverse Peak) Train Cancellations for Thurs., Aug. 26:

West Hempstead Branch Westbound cancellations:

The 4:02 PM from West Hempstead due in Atlantic Terminal 4:47 PM

The 5:48 PM from Jamaica due in Atlantic Terminal 6:06 PM

The 6:30 PM from West Hempstead due in Jamaica 6:56 PM

—-

Hempstead Branch Westbound cancellations:

The 5:41 PM from Hempstead due Penn Station at 6:33 PM

The 8:01 PM from Hempstead due Atlantic Terminal at 8:55 PM

I will continue to stay on top of this & post the latest info as I receive it from the LIRR.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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