LIRR sets track work on Hempstead, Pt. Jefferson branches

A track work program in the Queens Village area and grade crossing renewals during the weekends of April 10-11 and April 17-18 will mean no train service on the Long Island Rail Road Hempstead Branch and train service frequency will be reduced on the Port Jefferson/Huntington Branch. Customers should consider taking trains from South Shore LIRR stations (Babylon, Long Beach and West Hempstead Branches) in order to avoid delays during the two weekends.

The track surfacing work
will keep this important section of track in a state of good repair, and when
the work is completed, the thousands of daily LIRR customers who travel through
the area should experience a smoother train ride. For this project, railroad
employees using two track tamper machines will lift and align the track itself
and add ballast, where necessary. This helps to smooth out any bumps in the
track bed and gives longer life to all track components. The tamper machines
are each more than 100 feet long and weigh 150 tons.



Schedule adjustments will
also be made on some trains on the Babylon, Far Rockaway, Long Beach, Oyster
Bay and Ronkonkoma Branches during the affected weekends to accommodate
Hempstead Branch and Port Jefferson/Huntington Branch connections.