LIRR: Year-round weekend service on North Fork will be restored

Long Island Rail Road officials announced July 25 that year-round weekend train service between Penn Station and Greenport will be restored.

LIRR President Patrick Nowakowski said the restored services will be included in a financial plan that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is scheduled to vote on July 27.

“It will be a small increase to the budget to add that service and it’s very well received by the representatives out there,” Mr. Nowakowski said.

In 2010, the LIRR ended weekend service on the North Fork during the winter months when the MTA eliminated it as part of systemwide cuts.

LIRR representatives met with East End officials recently, which Mr. Nowakowski described as a “very productive meeting.”

In addition to restoring year-round weekend service, Mr. Nowakowski said the LIRR will work with East End officials and businesses to enhance current service, which includes two eastbound trains and three westbound trains between Greenport and Penn Station.

Assemblyman Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor), State Senator Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) and Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) stated in a July 18 letter to Mr. Nowakowski that additional train service is needed for East End residents and called for more communication between the LIRR and various stakeholders.

Mr. Nowakowski said Monday that the LIRR is “looking forward to continuing the discussion with our East End partners and we are optimistic that we can come up with additional enhancements to improve our service.”