Irene’s impact on Northeast transit varied

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, transit service availability on the East Coast is varied, from regularly scheduled service, to reduced service and even terminated service. WMATA Washington Metropolitan Area Tranist Authority is currently operating rail service on a regular schedule. Other than expected delays due to weather, WMATA ran its schedule throughout the weekend. Customers needing elevator access are advised to check wmata.com before they travel for the status of their local station elevators. Elevator and escalator availability may be temporarily impacted by local power issues. Metrorail ridership was down about 67 percent Saturday, August 27, as compared to last Saturday. WMATA's Operations Control Center is continuing to monitor the system for any storm-related after effects. Customers are encouraged to check wmata.com for service updates and follow @wmata on Twitter for the latest service information. MBTA/MBCR The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority service is operating on a regular weekday schedule, effective August 28. Having already removed more than one hundred trees or large branches from track rights-of-way August 27, MBTA and Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company personnel worked throughout Saturday night, clearing the rails and restoring power to signal systems and overhead wires. Normal service has resumed on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines. Minor delay delays on the D branch due to ongoing signal system repairs between Riverside and Newton Centre Stations. In the event that the signals remain down at the start of service personnel will be in place to institute manual operation. All downed trees have been removed from the D Branch. However, due to ongoing tree removal activities being conducted by the Town of Newton and NStar, the Riverside Parking facility will remain closed. Customers are urged to seeking alternative parking at other facilities such as Woodland Station. Transit Police will be on scene to assist and direct customers. On commuter rail, minor signal problems continue on the Worcester and Fitchburg Lines, but are not expected to result in significant delays. Amtrak is conducting tree removal activities on the Providence line, with no significant delays expected. NJ Transit New Jersey Transit rail service is suspended until further notice as a result of residual impacts of Hurricane Irene, except for the Atlantic City Rail Line. NJ Transit will operate bus and light-rail service on a modified schedule on Monday, August 29. Crews worked around the clock August 28 to assess storm damage and make necessary repairs. "We only cancel service when we absolutely have to and Irene has forced us to do so on most of our rail lines," said NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein. "Our crews will work around the clock to clear trees, restore power and repair flood damage. We will get the trains running again as soon as we can. "The transportation system throughout the state has been severely stressed. Our goal is to resume service as quickly and safely as possible, however, customers should not expect a normal weekday Monday for transit services as crews continue to assess damage around the state, particularly on the railroad," said Weinstein. MTA The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority is providing limited service August 29. New York City Subway- With very limited exceptions, service has resumed across the subway system on all lines, including service to and from Far Rockaway. However, service will be less frequent than normal and customers should expect longer waits and more crowded trains. Frequency of service will improve over the course of the day. Staten Island Railway- Staten Island Railway service resumed regular service early August 29 between St. George and Tottenville. Long Island Rail Road- The Long Island Rail Road is operating near-normal service this morning on six of its branches, but customers are advised to expect some cancellations and some trains operating with fewer than normal complement of cars. The morning rush service is being restored to and from: • Babylon • Hicksville (on the Huntington/Port Jefferson Branch) • Ronkonkoma • Port Washington (half-hourly service west of Great Neck; no service east of Great Neck) • Hempstead • West Hempstead Service remains suspended to and from: • Oyster Bay • Port Jefferson • Long Beach • Far Rockaway • Montauk (east of Babylon) • Greenport (east of Ronkonkoma) Metro-North Railroad- Metro-North Railroad cannot operate regular service on any of its three lines. There is still significant damage to many portions of the Metro-North system. Local streams and the Bronx River continue to overflow their banks and crews are working to clean up three mudslides. HRT Hampton Roads Transit in Virginia re-introduced limited transit services on Sunday, August 28 after a check of local conditions found no significant damage to HRT systems caused by Hurricane Irene. Light-rail service began at noon Sunday. Ferry service across the Elizabeth River also began at noon. Sunday HRT enforced a fare-free period for light rail, but starting Monday, August 29, HRT will begin collecting fares on The Tide.