On Washington Street in East Islip, homes run parallel to the LIRR tracks, and until recently, there was a wall of green that hid the train and muffled its clatter. Then, residents got a letter.
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The letter said that crews would come by to 'identify and remove overgrown trees and vegetation, because trees, shrubs and bushes often times interfere with safety and train service reliability.'
Crews then came and cut everything in sight.
The LIRR explained that trees - even leaves, can slow trains down over time, and how they work to minimize that problem.
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"I feel like we're living on the tracks," says resident Kiran Gore.
It is louder and more unsightly, and residents say they don't think moving will be possible.
"It's gonna take down the house prices, right?" adds Gore.
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