LIRR CHANGES MAY 17th (Oyster Bay, Babylon: home, layoffs, cost)

[r5020]

In case any LIRR riders have not seen or heard - there are some revised train schedules (i.e. cancellations) starting Monday.

I'm surprised at some of the selections. I ride the Long Beach train and they are canceling the 5:40 Atlantic Terminal departure (meets the 5:33 Hicksville out of Penn in Jamaica) and taking 5:55 "express" which is usually pretty packed at Penn and adding Jamaica as a stop. I can't imagine how packed some of these trains are going to be. Looks like more trains to be canceled and/or consolidated in September.

So I guess with all this consolidating we will be hearing about layoffs and cost reduction for LIRR employees next I won't hold my breath.

Anyway if you didn't have this information already, I hope it can be of some use to you.

Babylon Branch

The 7:40 AM train from Seaford to Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn will be canceled. To accommodate customers from this train, the 7:33 AM train from Babylon to Atlantic Terminal will depart four minutes earlier at 7:29 AM, and stops will be added at Wantagh, Bellmore, Merrick, Freeport, Baldwin and Rockville Centre.
The 4:39 PM train from Atlantic Terminal, Brooklyn to Babylon will be canceled. To accommodate customers, the 4:37 PM express train from Penn Station to Wantagh will have added stops at Jamaica, Lynbrook, Seaford, Massapequa and all stops to Babylon. Brooklyn customers can take the 4:34 PM train from Atlantic Terminal and change at Jamaica.
The 4:57 PM train from Penn Station to Wantagh will be canceled. Customers can take the 5:03 PM train from Penn Station with added stops at Merrick, Bellmore and Wantagh.

Long Beach Branch

The 5:40 PM train from Atlantic Terminal to Long Beach will be canceled. To accommodate customers, the 5:55 PM express train from Penn Station to Long Beach will have a Jamaica stop added. Brooklyn customers can connect with this train by taking the 5:49 PM departure from Atlantic Terminal and changing at Jamaica.

Oyster Bay Branch

The 4:54 PM peak train from Long Island City to Oyster Bay will leave 10 minutes earlier at 4:44 PM and add a Hunterspoint Avenue stop at 4:59 PM.
The weekend 1:35 AM train from Jamaica to Oyster Bay is canceled. Customers can take the earlier 11:45 PM train.
The weekend 7:20 AM train from Oyster Bay to Jamaica is canceled. Customers can take a train an hour earlier at 6:20 AM or later at 8:20 AM.

Port Jefferson Branch

The 5:11 PM train from Hunterspoint Avenue will be partially canceled. It will instead originate in Huntington at 6:15 PM. Customers can connect with this train by taking a new 4:59 PM departure from Hunterspoint Avenue, and the 5:06 PM train from Penn Station to Huntington, which will have added Jamaica and Mineola stops. The new 4:59 PM departure is available by re-scheduling the 4:54 PM peak train from Long Island City to Oyster Bay to leave 10 minutes earlier at 4:44 PM and adding a Hunterspoint Avenue stop at 4:59 PM.
The 4:05 PM westbound train from Port Jefferson to Jamaica will now terminate in Huntington, where customers can connect with train service to western terminals.

Port Washington Branch

The 4:43 PM train from Penn Station to Port Washington will be canceled. Customers can instead take the 4:22 PM train from Penn Station. Later options include the 4:46 PM train for those heading to Great Neck. Customers traveling to stations Manhasset, Plandome and Port Washington can take the 5:11 PM departure from Penn Station.

[Jdawg8181]

Ughh I am usually also on the 5:55 as well. This is going to be horrible now.

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by Jdawg8181

Ughh I am usually also on the 5:55 as well. This is going to be horrible now.

They're adding ONE stop to that train. What's so horrible about people getting on the train after you've already been in your seat for 15 minutes?

[Gpsma]

Anyone who takes the 540 out of Atlantic better stay off the 545 Babylon train. We don't want you people on our train. Besides the portly, unkempt, lazy butted conductor wouldn't like any more work.

[TVR1997]

Its the dreaded change/stop at Jamaica thing. The express trains which bypass Jamaica are a timesaver even though they must slow down at Jamaica. The big problem at Jamaica is that the train now has to wait for its connecting train, something that should be seamless but often is not. I've waited 5 minutes sometimes for my connecting train at Jamaica. Annoying enough daily that I shifted my routine to the express...didn't mind it as much going into work but coming home every minute counts. You also don't get a second ticket collection or people shifting seats on the express train which makes resting/reading more comfortable.

A major issue? No...but the express trains are indeed prized amongst LIRR commuters and for good reason.

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

They're adding ONE stop to that train. What's so horrible about people getting on the train after you've already been in your seat for 15 minutes?

[onrway2clt]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

They're adding ONE stop to that train. What's so horrible about people getting on the train after you've already been in your seat for 15 minutes?

That train now has to take on the passengers that normally would be on that 5:40 train out of brooklyn.

[onrway2clt]

Originally Posted by Gpsma

Anyone who takes the 540 out of Atlantic better stay off the 545 Babylon train. We don't want you people on our train. Besides the portly, unkempt, lazy butted conductor wouldn't like any more work.

Agreed, stay off my train

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by onrway2clt

That train now has to take on the passengers that normally would be on that 5:40 train out of brooklyn.

do you really think most of them are going to now travel from Penn? They can get to Jamaica via other trains out of Brooklyn.

[S.I.B.]

Originally Posted by TVR1997

Its the dreaded change/stop at Jamaica thing. The express trains which bypass Jamaica are a timesaver even though they must slow down at Jamaica. The big problem at Jamaica is that the train now has to wait for its connecting train, something that should be seamless but often is not. I've waited 5 minutes sometimes for my connecting train at Jamaica. Annoying enough daily that I shifted my routine to the express...didn't mind it as much going into work but coming home every minute counts. You also don't get a second ticket collection or people shifting seats on the express train which makes resting/reading more comfortable.

A major issue? No...but the express trains are indeed prized amongst LIRR commuters and for good reason.

to me, the second ticket collection is the biggest pain of all...lol.

And stopping at Jamaica and changing at Jamaica are two different animals.

In the case of the 5:55 to Long Beach others are discussing, I don't think the extra stop is a big deal.

The 5:55 gets to say Lynbrook in 34 minutes. The 6:10 with the Jamaicia AND VS stop gets to Lynbrook in 39 minutes. A VERY minor inconvenience IMO.

[onrway2clt]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

do you really think most of them are going to now travel from Penn? They can get to Jamaica via other trains out of Brooklyn.

No they will still travel from brooklyn and then when they get to jamaica most of them will pile into 5:55 out of penn. What I picture is basically combining 2 trains into one with the second crowd getting on in Jamaica, should be fun.