Schedual check: Hicksville to Speonk this Sunday at 7:22 AM

I would like someone more familiar with the schedule of trains to check this for me: Seems from https://new.mta.info/schedules I can pick up a train in Hicksville at 7:22 AM, transfer in Babylon and Patchogue, and arrive in Speonk at 9:37 AM. Most of this route is over areas I have never traveled before and I am looking forward to that.

Can someone confirm this is good information? I cannot find any branch info on trains between Hicksville and Babylon, though I do note there is a "Service Impact" noting hourly service between these two points for the Ronkonkoma and Port Jeff branches.

BTW, the Little Gull restaurant took over the previous Speonk station building and it is where I am heading. I will report back on the experience.

EM: Yes-You can travel to Speonk from Hicksville riding first a Hicksville-Bethpage-Babylon shuttle train on
Sunday 4/3 - or any weekend until 5/23 (exceptions are Easter 4/16,17 and Mothers Day 5/7,8 when regular
train service operates) during the current Main Line Third Track Project alternate weekend service.

The weekend shuttles are scheduled each hour from the 5AM hour east for westbound trains at Babylon:
:28 Hicksville - :34 Bethpage - :46 Babylon
(Trains arrive from Ronkonkoma and Huntington/Port Jefferson at :22 in Hicksville)
The shuttle schedule each hour from the 6AM hour west for eastbound trains at Hicksville:
:21 Babylon - :33 Bethpage - :39 Hicksville
(Trains depart to Ronkonkoma and Huntington/Port Jefferson at :44 in Hicksville)
The last shuttles on this hourly schedule operate during the 12 Midnight hour.
Shuttle trains arrive and depart from Hicksville on the center track (Track 2)

These are the overnight shuttles - First west for eastbound trains at Hicksville:
Leave Babylon 1:14, 3:08, 4:24 AM; Bethpage 1:26, 3:20 and 4:36 AM; Arrive Hicksville 1:32, 3:26 and 4:42 AM
East shuttles for westbound trains at Babylon:
Leave Hicksville 2:30, 3:46 AM; Bethpage 2:36, 3:52 AM; Arrive Babylon 2:48 and 4:04 AM

Montauk Branch eastbound trains stopping at Babylon AM:
7:46 - Bay Shore, Sayville, Patchogue and all stops to Montauk
8:26 - All stops to Speonk (train originates at Babylon)
8:46 - Bay Shore, Sayville, Patchogue, Speonk and all stops to Montauk
9:46 - All stops to Patchogue
10:18 - All stops to Speonk
10:46 - Bay Shore, Sayville, Patchogue, Speonk and all stops to Montauk

The DIRECT one way fare from Zone Seven (Hicksville) to Zone Twelve (Speonk) is $10 prepaid or $16 on board.

The Little Gull Cafe at Speonk Station is open Saturdays 9AM to 3PM and Sundays 9AM to 2PM
https://littlegullcafe.com

I decided to do this research because I was interested in the shuttles and AM eastbound Montauk Branch
connections myself...MACTRAXX

I had to come back to say what a fun little place the Little Gull Cafe is. "Little" is the defining term here as seating is a bit limited and reservation are not available, but they did manage to find indoor seats for 5 adults and to kids. There is also outdoor seating under the station overhangs. I had the buttermilk pancakes, 3 large served with butter and I believe real maple syrup. Toast is huge slices from of bread they bake.

The building has been kept just as it was with the waiting room benches on the walls used for dining seating. Friendly staff who were impressed I actually got there by train.

Everyone in my party wants to go there again! Get there early as the buttermilk biscuits from scratch get sold out!

MACTRAXX thanks for confirming the schedule!

EM: Good report on the Little Gull Cafe...This would be a good stop for rail enthusiasts to remember...

How did your LIRR travel go on Sunday morning 4/3? Which eastbound train to Speonk did your group take?
When I plot out a trip schedule such as this I use the appropriate LIRR Branch timetables necessary - in this
case I used the Babylon and Montauk Branch special weekend schedules - with the Ronkonkoma Branch
(and/or Port Jefferson) special weekend schedule for the Hicksville-Bethpage-Babylon shuttle train times.

I will add this observation on train locations at Babylon - The shuttle train arriving each hour from Hicksville
at :46 arrives on Track 1 to connect with a westbound semi-express train scheduled to leave at :50 stopping
at Amityville, Massapequa, Bellmore, Freeport and Lynbrook to NY off of Track 2 (center track at Babylon).
That train opens up the doors on both sides allowing passengers going east to access Montauk Branch
trains passing through on Track 3 - stopping at 7, 8, 9 and 10:46AM - the same time as the shuttle train
from Hicksville is due. If I was catching one of those four eastbounds I would know to be on the lookout
coming off the Central Branch into Babylon Station on to the south side of the train knowing that I have
a close connection to make ASAP...

Returning westbound I later checked and found that there was five trains stopping/originating at Speonk
from 10AM to 4:40PM which were:
10AM - All stops to Babylon (except Bellport) arriving Babylon 11:00AM*
12Noon - All stops to Babylon (except Bellport) arriving Babylon 1:00PM*
12:35PM from Montauk - nonstop to Jamaica arriving 1:57PM
2:00PM- All stops to Babylon - arriving at 3:00PM*
*All change at Babylon for westbound train service to NY and Brooklyn - and shuttle trains to Hicksville
4:40PM from Montauk - Stops at Mastic-Shirley, Bellport and Patchogue (5:10) then express to Jamaica 6:15PM
(Change at Patchogue for westbound local service to Babylon (5:23 > 5:53PM)

The problem with the Speonk Station area is that there is little to do in the area weekends with nothing significant
within walking distance - the LIRR Speonk Yard is somewhat visible without trespassing for trainspotting...
MACTRAXX

My trip planning was as simple as going to https://new.mta.info/schedules and typing in "Hicksville," "Speonk," April 3, and 7AM and seeing what it suggested. I did look into several time tables but could not find any scheduled trains between Hicksville and Babylon. Being not so trustful I asked here to have MACTRAXX confirm my plans.

I was planning to go with my sister, but she had some health issues that day preventing her from joining in. No big deal, I got to spend the trip looking out the window the whole time uninterrupted.

It is a nice trip for anyone, with good food in a good place.

I remember the "Greasy Spoon" in Speonk. I want to say that was same place where the Little Gull is located? I always wondered if LIRR crews ate there...