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Hi,
I have 2 questions about 7:39AM Ronkonkoma train from Penn station. My destination will be Central Islip, so technically it should be 1 hrs. 12 mins ride. I'm aware that after Farmingdale there's only single track.
1. How reliable is it during weekdays? (up to 10min delay is not a problem). How many times a year it has "bigger" delays, like 20,30 or more minutes? How many times this train is cancelled completely? Does it happen often?
2. Is it very crowded? Is there a problem to find a seat? I know it starts at Penn, but still want to ask that.
I have taken that train periodically, but only as far as Mineola. The train is largely empty -- getting a seat is not at all an issue. The timing has been reliable, but if you are looking to be in Central Islip at 8:51 to be somewhere reliably nine minutes later, that is asking a lot, especially in the winter. Plus, where are you going in Central Islip? Courthouse? NYIT? Not likely to get to either in 10 minutes.
The train # is 2008. So it's easy to find out how many times the train was late (if it's less than 6min - it's not late).
I didn't have much time to analyse it, but it looks like 1-2 big dalays per month are almost for sure. Like 20+ min late. I'm not sure about those stats, but according to them this train is on time like 17-18/21 workdays per month (on time in Ronkonkomma).
I don't know how it looks comapring to LIRR's averageses
This is the first reverse peak train in the AM after the 5am hour. This train if it gets delayed will be because of the priority given to westbounds in the morning. IF there is an issue in to Penn this train will get held up.
I've honestly never had a bad experience on the Ronk line. A straight shot and the time is less than many towns closer to the City, it's actually pretty impressive.
Don't mind the drunk college girls rambling. Bring some headphones.
If you HAVE to commute, reverse commuting is about as good as it gets.
I used to reverse commute from Queens to Patchogue years ago. Granted, this was when they had diesels, and before the computerized signals/switches (which crap out if a leaf falls on the tracks or if there's a cloud in the sky) so the trains were much more reliable than today- But the thing is: reverse-commute trains are much more predictable than the other way around. e.g. my train was supposed to get to Patchogu at 8:10. If memory serves, it would always get in at 8:20. There was always a delay in the same place (waiting for the westbound train)- but it was consistent- it got in at that time every day. Never earlier; never later.
Find out what time your train actually gets to CI (by doing a dry run?), and you can probably rest assured that that is the time it will get there every day. -Unlike westbound trains, which can be all over the place.
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