The Long Island Rail Road could expand its service on the Port Washington line after the town of North Hempstead allowed the railroad company to study a plan to expand the freight yard where the trains are stored.
The LIRR is considering extending the two outermost tracks, which would allow more tonsrains to be stored in the city’s rail yard. That would allow the agency to run more trains from Port Washington to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. But the expansion could result in the loss of prime commuter parking in Port Washington, the hub of one of the LIRR’s most popular lines.
Last month, the North Hempstead Town Council passed a memorandum of understanding allowing the LIRR to review the proposal, city documents show.
The Port Washington Line had the third-highest ridership of any LIRR line in 2023, with 9.9 million passengers, agency officials said. Since the opening of Grand Central Madison in February 2023, commuters on the Port Washington Line have experienced inconsistent service.
“This is a decision that had to be made for the benefit of the entire town and future residents and homeowners,” North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in an interview. “If we don’t have that express service, people may not want to pay the high prices to live in Port Washington, Manhasset and Great Neck.”
DeSena said she wanted to agree to the deal because she feared the MTA would have to delay numerous infrastructure projects and service upgrades after Governor Kathy Hochul indefinitely postponed the implementation of congestion charging in June. The decision blew a $16.5 billion hole in the MTA’s capital budget.
“If we hadn’t signed this MOU now, we might not have another opportunity for 10 years,” said DeSena, a Democrat who works with Republicans.
When Grand Central Madison opened, the LIRR switched trains during rush hour in the morning between the new terminal and Penn Station.
In early November, two trains to Grand Central – at 6:47 a.m. and 7:19 a.m. – were rerouted to Penn. For several weeks, LIRR trains from Port Washington to Grand Central were stopped for more than two hours during the morning rush hour.
Later that month, the LIRR agreed to send trains to Grand Central at 6:42 a.m. and 7:19 a.m. The MTA also rerouted a Grand Central-bound train that left Great Neck at 7:35 a.m. to Penn Station.
There are eight tracks at Port Washington Station, but because two of the tracks do not quite extend to the front, the number of trains LIRR operators can accommodate and operate there is limited.
“If this helps residents in terms of rail service, reliability and frequency, I’m 100 percent behind it,” said Mariann Dalimonte, a North Hempstead councilwoman from Port Washington.
But Democrat Dalimonte expressed concern about the loss of much-needed parking spaces.
State Senator Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) said he was optimistic about the project after a recent conversation with LIRR President Rob Free.
“The answer and solution to greater rail flexibility on the Port Washington line is to expand the rail presence in Port Washington to allow for the provision of more trains,” Martins said in an interview.
According to the terms of the agreement, “the LIRR and the City agree to take all necessary actions as soon as possible to implement the Yard Track Extension Project…”
However, Martins expects it will take “several years” for the extensions to be completed. The next step, DeSena said, is for the MTA to conduct a study to assess the potential impacts on traffic and parking. As part of the project, the LIRR may also renovate platforms, canopies and pedestrian overpasses, according to the agreement.
Free did not announce a timeline for the study during the MTA’s July 31 board meeting, but stressed the importance of the project.
“We believe it would improve service in Port Washington,” Free said. “It’s one of our busiest locations, so it’s so badly needed.”
With Alfonso A. Castillo
The Long Island Rail Road could expand its service on the Port Washington line after the town of North Hempstead allowed the railroad company to study a plan to expand the freight yard where the trains are stored.
The LIRR is considering extending the two outermost tracks, which would allow more tonsrains to be stored in the city’s rail yard. That would allow the agency to run more trains from Port Washington to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison. But the expansion could result in the loss of prime commuter parking in Port Washington, the hub of one of the LIRR’s most popular lines.
Last month, the North Hempstead Town Council passed a memorandum of understanding allowing the LIRR to review the proposal, city documents show.
The Port Washington Line had the third-highest ridership of any LIRR line in 2023, with 9.9 million passengers, agency officials said. Since the opening of Grand Central Madison in February 2023, commuters on the Port Washington Line have experienced inconsistent service.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Approval for North Hempstead Town a memorandum of understanding with the LIRR in July that allows the agency to consider a plan to accommodate additional trains in the city’s freight yard.
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Since the opening of Grand Central Madison In February 2023, commuters on the Port Washington Line experienced inconsistent service.
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There are eight tracks at Port Washington station, but because two of the tracks do not quite extend to the front, LIRR operators are limited in the number of trains they can accommodate in the freight yard.
“This is a decision that had to be made for the benefit of the entire town and future residents and homeowners,” North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said in an interview. “If we don’t have that express service, people may not want to pay the high prices to live in Port Washington, Manhasset and Great Neck.”
DeSena said she wanted to agree to the deal because she feared the MTA would have to delay numerous infrastructure projects and service upgrades after Governor Kathy Hochul indefinitely postponed the implementation of congestion charging in June. The decision blew a $16.5 billion hole in the MTA’s capital budget.
“If we hadn’t signed this MOU now, we might not have another opportunity for 10 years,” said DeSena, a Democrat who works with Republicans.
Variable service
When Grand Central Madison opened, the LIRR switched trains during rush hour in the morning between the new terminal and Penn Station.
In early November, two trains to Grand Central – at 6:47 a.m. and 7:19 a.m. – were rerouted to Penn. For several weeks, LIRR trains from Port Washington to Grand Central were stopped for more than two hours during the morning rush hour.
Later that month, the LIRR agreed to send trains to Grand Central at 6:42 a.m. and 7:19 a.m. The MTA also rerouted a Grand Central-bound train that left Great Neck at 7:35 a.m. to Penn Station.
There are eight tracks at Port Washington Station, but because two of the tracks do not quite extend to the front, the number of trains LIRR operators can accommodate and operate there is limited.
“If this helps residents in terms of rail service, reliability and frequency, I’m 100 percent behind it,” said Mariann Dalimonte, a North Hempstead councilwoman from Port Washington.
But Democrat Dalimonte expressed concern about the loss of much-needed parking spaces.
No timetable for studies
State Senator Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) said he was optimistic about the project after a recent conversation with LIRR President Rob Free.
“The answer and solution to greater rail flexibility on the Port Washington line is to expand the rail presence in Port Washington to allow for the provision of more trains,” Martins said in an interview.
According to the terms of the agreement, “the LIRR and the City agree to take all necessary actions as soon as possible to implement the Yard Track Extension Project…”
However, Martins expects it will take “several years” for the extensions to be completed. The next step, DeSena said, is for the MTA to conduct a study to assess the potential impacts on traffic and parking. As part of the project, the LIRR may also renovate platforms, canopies and pedestrian overpasses, according to the agreement.
Free did not announce a timeline for the study during the MTA’s July 31 board meeting, but stressed the importance of the project.
“We believe it would improve service in Port Washington,” Free said. “It’s one of our busiest locations, so it’s so badly needed.”
With Alfonso A. Castillo
Joshua Needelman covers the town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his articles have appeared in publications such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.
