Long Island Rail Road workers will perform routine track inspections between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma during the early morning hours of Saturday, April 8. The tests will be performed using a specialized diagnostic car fitted with ultrasonic and induction test equipment and is designed to detect internal rail defects not readily visible to the eye. Any defects that are found will be corrected immediately.

 

“This specialized ultrasonic rail testing is an important component of our ongoing efforts to ensure the continued safety of our rails,” said LIRR President Patrick Nowakowski.

 

As a result of the work, buses will substitute for eight overnight trains during the early morning hours of Saturday, April 8. This work is scheduled to inconvenience the fewest number of customers possible.

 

“Upon the completion of the Ronkonkoma Branch Double Track project, outages of this nature will no longer be necessary. In the future we will be able to conduct overnight rail testing and operate train service on the adjacent track,” Nowakowski said.

 

To avoid a bus connection, the LIRR encourages customer to consider traveling on the Port Jefferson Branch or Babylon Branch or Montauk Branch.

 

Special bus and train timetables are available at this link:

 

The four Ronkonkoma Branch trains that depart Penn Station at 12:14 a.m., 1:21 a.m., 2:53 a.m. and 4:43 a.m., which normally travel as far as Ronkonkoma, will terminate at Farmingdale. Customers looking to travel to Wyandanch, Deer Park, Brentwood, Central Islip or Ronkonkoma can change at Hicksville for express buses serving those stations.

 

Buses are scheduled to depart Hicksville 10 minutes after the arrival of the train from Penn Station. The bus from Hicksville is the fastest option for customers traveling from New York City or Mineola. Customers traveling to Bethpage and Farmingdale will have normal train service and should stay on the train past Hicksville. Customers should plan for up to 43 minutes of additional travel time.

 

 

The four trains that normally originate at Ronkonkoma at 12:46 a.m., 2:13 a.m., 3:45 a.m. and 5:37 a.m. will instead originate at Farmingdale. Customers traveling from Ronkonkoma, Central Islip, Brentwood, Deer Park or Wyandanch will find local and express buses at these stations for travel to points west. Buses are scheduled to depart up to 45 minutes earlier than the normal train departure times. As noted above, bus schedules are posted at this link:

 

The express buses to Hicksville are the fastest choice for customers traveling to Mineola or New York City. They will connect at Hicksville for the regularly westbound trains to Penn Station.   Local buses will provide intra-island service for those traveling as far west as Farmingdale.  Customers starting their trips at Farmingdale and Bethpage will have normal train service, and will not need to transfer to buses.

 

 

In accordance with usual procedures when there is a planned service disruption, the LIRR is printing posters and issuing social media messaging to advise customers of the change, and will place fliers on train seats and include information in the LIRR’s customer newsletter, TrainTalk. The LIRR is notifying all elected officials representing the area.

 

Information about planned service changes like this one is always made available via many methods:

The above communications channels can be accessed while at home or on the go. For customers who are located at stations, the LIRR will post the latest service updates on digital signs at station platforms and will make audio announcements over public address systems, and on-board announcements made by train crews.

 

For those who prefer the telephone, information is available from the LIRR’s Customer Service Center by calling 511, the New York State Travel Information Line, and saying: “Long Island Rail Road.” Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the LIRR at 511.