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A Few Clouds Weekend LIRR service returns to West Hempstead branch this Saturday
After a four-year hiatus, weekend service on the Long Island Railroad returns to the West Hempstead branch this Saturday, Nov. 22. The train will run every two hours between West Hempstead and the Penn Station and/or Atlantic Terminal stations, with connecting service at Valley Stream and Jamaica.
The LIRR also announced that new timetables went into effect on Monday, November 17 and will continue through December 14 with special Thanksgiving holiday service and the start of extra weekend service for the holiday season among the highlights. Commuters are encouraged to pick up copies of the new timetables, which will remain in effect through Sunday, December 14.
Some schedule changes will be made to accommodate track work on several branches, including the West Hempstead branch. During midday weekdays from December 1-12, mechanized tie installation and resurfacing will occur between Valley Stream and West Hempstead. This will mean busing and extra travel time during this time period.
Additionally, there will be a new departure time for an early morning Long Beach to Penn Station service. Starting on Monday, November 17, the current 3:13 a.m. weekday train from Long Beach will be adjusted to depart later at 3:59 a.m. in order to provide a more convenient early morning alternative for customers who start work in the 5:00 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. timeframe. With a transfer at Jamaica Station, the rescheduled train will get Long Beach Branch customers to Penn Station at 4:50 a.m.
On Wednesday, Nov. 26, the LIRR will operate a regular weekday schedule with 11 extra trains added to the eastbound afternoon schedule for those leaving work early. There will be four extra to Babylon trains, two extra Huntington trains, one extra Hicksville train, one extra Great Neck train, one extra Far Rockaway train, one extra Ronkonkoma train and one extra Montauk train.
On Thanksgiving Day, the LIRR’s weekend/holiday schedule will be supplemented by 6 extra westbound trains in the morning to accommodate customers heading to the city for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and 11 extra afternoon eastbound trains to get those folks back to Long Island.
Starting the weekend of November 29-30 and continuing through the weekend of January 3-4, the LIRR will add extra trains on the Long Beach Branch to accommodate greater demand during the holiday season.
Copies of the new timetables, which will remain in effect through Sunday, December 14, will be available at stations and terminals and anytime at www.mta/info/lirr.
