LIRR track work will affect weekend service

Service on the Long Island Rail Road’s Babylon and West Hempstead branches will be impacted by track work this weekend.

The overnight work will begin at 11 p.m. on Friday, March 4 and ending at 5 a.m., LIRR officials said. Work will resume at 11 p.m. Saturday evening, ending at 5 a.m.

For this project, railroad crews will be delivering new and continuous-welded rail to sites along the right-of-way between Jamaica Station and Rockville Centre in preparation for new track and tie installation in April and May. Scheduled maintenance on the LIRR is carried out during off-peak hours or on weekends.

Customers who use the LIRR’s Babylon or West Hempstead branches during these overnight hours should consult the special timetable for each branch when traveling.

Babylon Branch

Eastbound

• The 12:01 a.m. train from Penn Station is canceled. Customers can take the 11:39 p.m. (on Friday only) or the 12:39 a.m. train to Babylon with a change at Jamaica Station.
• Customers taking the 1:42 a.m. train from Atlantic Terminal will have a 20-minute wait at Jamaica Station for connecting service to Babylon, but will not stop at Valley Stream Station.
• The 2:39 a.m. train from Penn Station will depart five minutes later at 2:44 a.m. 

Westbound

• On Friday, March 4, the 11:14 p.m. train from Babylon scheduled to arrive at Penn Station at 12:29 a.m. is canceled. Customers can take the 11:12 p.m. or 11:51 p.m. instead.
• On Saturday and Sunday, the 1:23 AM westbound train from Babylon will not stop at Valley Stream, Rosedale, Laurelton or Locust Manor. Customers looking to travel to these stations will detrain at Rockville Centre for bus service to their destination.

West Hempstead Branch

Eastbound

• Buses will replace the 11:11 p.m. Friday train from Valley Stream to West Hempstead. Customers will board buses at Valley Stream.
• Buses will replace the 12:55 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday morning from Valley Stream to West Hempstead. Customers will board buses at Valley Stream.

Westbound

• Buses will replace the 11:46 p.m. Friday night train from West Hempstead. Customers at West Hempstead stations through Westwood will board buses to Rockville Centre, where train service will resume to all points west. In this instance, Fare Zone 4 tickets will be accepted from West Hempstead Branch customers boarding at Rockville Centre, which is in Zone 7.

For more information on service changes visit www.mta.info or customers can sign up for mymtaalerts.com, to receive real time LIRR Service Alerts via text message or email. LIRR travel information is also available on @LIRR on Twitter and on the railroad’s Facebook page.