MTA Long Island Rail Road customers can expect significant schedule changes and delays during Wednesday morning's and evening's rush hours 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.
Since Monday, crews have been working round-the-clock on repairs and continuing to make progress. However, it is likely to take several days to complete repairs to the tower's switching machine and wiring.
Over two-hundred wires need to be checked for possible damage from the fire.
Once the repairs are completed, intricate and thorough testing must be performed on the switches and signals.
From the preliminary LIRR investigation into the incident, it appears that the cause of the cable fire was weather-related; it is still under investigation.
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.
Wednesday AM Service Plan, Aug. 25, Eastbound & Westbound
While the Wednesday 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.
Westbound AM Peak Train Cancellations, Wednesday, Aug. 25:
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
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
Hicksville
The 6:25 AM Hicksville train due in Penn Station at 7:11 AM
Ronkonkoma Branch
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
The 6:57 AM Farmingdale train due in Penn Station at 7:48 AM
Babylon Branch
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 8:08 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 8:50 AM
The 8:25 AM Freeport train due in Penn Station at 9:08 AM
The 6:15 AM Babylon train due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:27 AM
The 8:16 AM Babylon train due in Penn Station at 9:31 AM
The 8:35 AM Babylon train due in Penn Station at 9:37 AM
The 5:18 AM Wantagh train due in Penn Station at 6:08 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 6:58 AM Hempstead train due in Penn Station at 7:52 AM
The 6:21 AM Hempstead train due in Atlantic Terminal at 7:08 AM
The 8:45 AM Hempstead train due in Atlantic Terminal at 9:34 AM
Far Rockaway Branch
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
The 7:18 AM Far Rockaway train due in Atlantic Terminal at 8:11 AM
Montauk Branch
The 7:12 AM Speonk train due in Hunterspoint Ave at 9:11 AM
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.
Wednesday PM Service Plan, Aug. 25, Eastbound & Westbound
The LIRR's modified PM Service Plan for Wednesday provides about 66% 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 Wednesday, Aug. 25:
The following eastbound PM Rush trains will be canceled Wednesday, August 25 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.
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.
Port Washington Branch
The 5:11 PM from NY due in Port Washington at 5:47 PM
The 5:50 PM from NY due in Great Neck at 6:19 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 3:27 PM from NY due in Huntington at 4:33 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
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.
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 Wed., Aug. 25:
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.
Port Washington Branch Westbound cancellation:
The 6:44 PM from Great Neck due Penn Station at 7:15 PM.
Service Updates:
The LIRR will continue to provide updated Service Advisories as repairs progress. Customers should monitor news media reports and 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 24-hour 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.
Customers can also text schedule request to CooCoo (266266)
The railroad's president released a letter Tuesday evening aplogizing to its customers.
"To Our Customers:
I know yesterday was a difficult and trying day for customers of the Long Island Rail Road. I want to apologize for the delays and inconvenience customers endured. The employees of the LIRR are working diligently around the clock to restore service after a devastating fire damaged a key signal cable and switching tower just to the east of Jamaica Station.
We understand your frustration and are grateful for your patience throughout this process. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, some customers had to remain at Penn Station or at stations in Nassau and Suffolk because the LIRR could not run trains safely east or west through Jamaica.
At this time the LIRR continues to determine the extent of the damage and take steps to fully restore service safely. Repairs are underway and will continue around the clock for the next several days until the entire signal and switch system is operational.
Given the safety issues as we attempt to provide service amid ongoing repairs, we will be operating at reduced levels for several days. Again, we ask your patience. We promise to keep you fully informed about service availability as well as our progress as we work to get train service and your commute back to normal.
Please remember to check our website for the latest information on the status of our service.
Helena E. Williams, President
MTA Long Island Rail Road"
