The MTA Long Island Rail Road finished strong on its week providing service to the U.S. Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills, as it recorded more than a total 78,000 passenger trips to and from the historic East End venue.

On Saturday alone, the railroad carried 11,319 passengers to, and 11,704 passengers from the special station, situated just south of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, for a total ridership of 23,023. This figure accounts for 32 percent of the total championship attendance that day -- and 38 percent more than the highest ridership day in 2004, the last time the U.S. Open Championship was held at this location, also on a Saturday, at 16,742.

"More and more customers are utilizing the railroad to get to special events all across Long Island, and I am proud of the role we play in helping make events like the U.S Open Championship a possibility in such a creative way," LIRR President Phillip Eng said. "I appreciate all the efforts of the women and men of the railroad and look forward to continuing our push to make each and every experience on our railroad a positive one."

In the weeks leading up to the championship, the USGA had built a temporary platform at Shinnecock, at Tuckahoe Road and Rte. 27, just as it did in 2004. The special platform was accompanied by a temporary pedestrian overpass that connected the station across Rte. 27, which enabled LIRR customers to reach the golf course safely and out of traffic's way.

In total, the LIRR recorded 78,097 passenger trips to and from Shinnecock from Monday through Sunday, a 5 percent increase over 2004 totals, at 74,584 trips.

Planning for this event was more than one year in the making, as the railroad worked to schedule trains on this section of the Montauk Branch, which is challenged by its single track, in that only a limited number of trains can operate in one direction at a time on this stretch. To ensure smooth operations, LIRR staff were strategically positioned at key points across the Montauk Branch throughout the week.

The railroad developed a special schedule for the week, which provided additional trains as it worked in conjunction with regular Montauk Branch schedules. As staff monitored ridership throughout the week, schedule adjustments were made, including even more added trains, as well as extensions and additional stops at Shinnecock on regularly scheduled Montauk Branch trains.