NEW YORK, NY – JULY 15: A Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train sits at the platform on July 15, 2014 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Currently there are no new negotiations scheduled between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and unions representing Long Island Rail Road workers after talks broke off abruptly on July 14. Around 300,000 riders, commuters and tourists, rely on the railroad every day which travels between Long Island and New York City. With Long Island Rail Road union leaders threatening to strike as early as Sunday, July 20, with pay increases and health care contributions are some of the issues being debated. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
What to Know
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Beginning Jan. 7, multiple LIRR and Amtrak trains will be diverted or cancelled
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This will affect seven of the 144 morning trains, and six of the 130 evening trains, the MTA says
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Sources additionally say that it will be four years before the MTA’s East Side Access opens
The train pain begins Monday for LIRR commuters.
Multiple trains will be canceled or diverted for infrastructure projects next year — including the East Side Access megaproject that sources say is more than four years away from completion.
The LIRR will divert or cancel seven of the 144 morning rush trains beginning Monday, along with six of the 130 evening rush trains, the MTA said. The changes will be in effect until March 3.
The MTA said seating capacity will be reduced by less than 1 percent because of the changes — which are to accommodate Amtrak’s work on track 18 at Penn Station and work on the Harold Interlocking railyard for the East Side Access project.
“East Side Access will bring much-needed expanded service and redundancy for LIRR customers wanting to access Manhattan, and this ongoing work will help us accomplish this goal with speed and efficiency,” said Janno Lieber, the MTA’s chief development officer.
In order to soften the blow, the MTA says it is adding some trains to Penn Station, Hunterspoint Avenue and Barclays Center in the morning and evening.
“Amtrak’s Penn Station renewal work is critical to the LIRR’s continued operation to Manhattan’s West Side, and needs to be done as quickly as possible,” LIRR President Phil Eng said. “We appreciate our customers’ patience as this important infrastructure work continues.
Visit the MTA’s website for more information on the changes.
Source : Nbcnewyork
