Grand Central Madison LIRR Launch Delayed

Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
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MTA equips trains with lasers to reduce fallen leaves on tracks.
MTA

Service at the new Grand Central Madison Long Island Rail Road station will not begin this week, the MTA announced Dec. 29.

Within the 700,000-square-foot terminal, one zone “needs extra work that will take more than a few days,” said Jamie Torres-Springer, president of MTA construction and development. “Given the logistics of concluding testing and launching service, we have advised MTA Chair Janno Lieber that the terminal will not open this week.”  

Officials had initially planned for the new east side station serving LIRR trains to launch service by the end of the year. According to a recent local news story, MTA authorities said opening the station on time would hinge on the completion of testing safety measures—specifically smoke ventilation systems—at the massive new terminal.

The Grand Central Madison station will eliminate the need to double back from Penn Station for the projected 50% of LIRR passengers who commute to Manhattan’s east side, MTA said. 

“We will coordinate with the Federal Railroad Administration to open the new Terminal and commence LIRR service as soon as possible in January,” Torres-Springer said.

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