LIRR Mainline Third Track Project

All grade crossings on the Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville will be eliminated. Yes, there will still be grade crossings on the Oyster Bay Line in Mineola.

I actually never thought of that. Eliminating all the crossings on THE MAIN LINE. The reason the Willis Avenue grade crossing on the Oyster Bay Branch was eliminated too was due to the proximity of both crossings, and the fact a steeper grade of more than 10 degrees would have been required.

HEV is correct, this project only eliminated the level crossings on the mainline.
The only reason Willis was eliminated on the Oyster Bay branch was because it’s close proximity to the said names crossing on the mainline.

In my opinion though second st should have been eliminated too with the line beginning elevation to allow for the Dead end cross streets to go though.
Second st would be a pedestrian under pass only.
They would
Loose one crossing but gain 2 more

Guys, I have been a part of the railroad.net LIRR forum for 9 1/2 years, and this is my 1000TH post! It is official, every grade crossing on the Main Line has been eliminated AND the road reopened. What better way to mark that as my 1000th post?!

Today, the MTA LIRR and Labor leaders marked the reopening of Willis Avenue after just 9 months of construction that saw the following done:

November 30th, 2020: Willis Avenue is closed for elimination for both the Main Line and Oyster Bay Branches.
December 1st, 2020-June 25th, 2021: Excavation and both bridge spans get underway/are constructed.
June 26th-27th, 2021: Willis Avenue's new bridge to eliminate the OB crossing is box-jacked into place.
July 10th-11th, 2021: Willis Avenue's new bridge to eliminate the Main Line crossing is box-jacked into place.
July 12th-September 2nd, 2021: Finishing touches and cleanup.
September 3rd, 2021: Willis Avenue grade crossing elimination project is completed, road reopened!

It is literally a tunnel/tube. It is a beautiful, modern, aweing, and unbelievable engineering masterpiece.

See guys, I told ya' it would be two lanes.

That's great to hear about the Willis Ave grade crossing being closed and replaced with an underpass. Yes, that makes all of the grade crossings closed on the Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville. Remember that the Main Line continues all the way to Greenport, although it's really a branch between Ronkonkoma and Greenport. East of Hicksville, there are plenty of grade crossings.

Considering the NIMBYism and incompetence and politics, this is an amazing accomplishment as the 3rd Track project inches towards completion. Design/Build and a governor so many people hated have made a huge difference. Of course, the project is not yet finished, nor is ESA, which this supports (though this is worthwhile in its own right).

In the meantime, going east to Port Jeff there are plenty of grade crossings, plus all that single diesel only track past the Huntington area. Kind of like the toonerville trolley once you get there, chug chug chug towards PJ. At some times of day you've got hours between trains, and what trains there are go, at wood fired steam pulled speeds. One train 'schedule' I've had to use far too often takes at least 90 minutes to go about 40 miles.

And then there are the constant equipment breakdowns and the fake on time arrival stats. So as big an accomplishment as this is, there is so much more to do.

It’s a great accomplishment and as much as I enjoyed the crossings for historical purposes the safety of removing them was paramount.

Port Jeff is still Operated in the 1980s era mentality that not enough peoeple
Commute from stations east of Huntington.
It is my opinion that with the curves, PTC, And LIRRs use of the ASC to enforce civil Speeds.
The branch should be fully electrified.
Double tracked to kings park too.
Yes this requires replacing a the 1906 trestle between king park and Northport.
Such improvements would provide faster and more reliable one seat service

However with that current climate post it’s a bit of a boondoggle.
Because the question become, electrify is now or inconvenient people by doing it after traffic picks back up?

Seeing Edward's photos they are doing the following:

1.) Due to Ida, they had to postpone installing the conduits underneath the Wantagh Parkway bridge.
2.) Westbury has a foundation being laid to the South of the station house that is either going to be an elevator or a box structure for a new pedestrian underpass. The Western half looks like a Babylon Branch station with the guardrail.
3.) All steel poles and new wooden poles have been erected along the ROW from Westbury to what will soon be the former NASSAU 3 Interlocking that was constructed in the mid-90's.
4.) Pretty sure the new NASSAU 3 is progressing.
5.) Piers continue to be pounded into the ground for Platform A at Mineola.
6.) The third track and ballast has been laid between Nassau Blvd and just West of Mineola.
7.) Merillon Avenue's Platform A is being lengthened to its promised 12-car lengths, and all the wooden poles have been yanked out and replaced with sound wall.
8.) The third track is being laid down the hill between Floral Park and Covert Avenue (MP16).

HEV and I told you when the project began that Willis Avenue was going to be two lanes...back in November! The only difference is that pedestrian walkways were not constructed.

As far as cool grade crossings in between Ronkonkoma and Hicksville: Oyster Bay Road, Stewart Avenue, Wellwood Avenue, Straight Path, Commack Road, Executive Drive, and Ocean Avenue. Between Hicksville and Huntington: Park Avenue, any of the grade crossings in the vicinity of Huntington's station, Jackson Avenue, and Robbins Lane.

Technically, the pedestrian crossing between Mineola station and Main St is still in service. It is officially wing removed from service next week.

Does anyone in the know have an answer regarding if the poll Mess will be cleaned up?
We really don’t need that many poles and on both sides of the tracks too!
Looks too cluttered.
Hopefully that mess will be cleaned up.

Did anybody hear if there was any problem with the new Main-line underpasses getting flooded this week? This storm would have been the ultimate test of their drainage systems and I'm very curious to know if they functioned properly.

How quickly does LIRR stop using the horn for closed grade crossings ? Around here CSX sometimes waits 6 months before stopping horns. That is even with K rails blocking the previous crossing .

That's probably because it takes them that long to finally remove the "W" signs along the tracks and as long as the signs are displayed the engineers probably have to sound the horns.

LI usually removes the [W] Within a few days if it’s even there.
There is no requirement the whistle post be placed so if there is it, it must be maintained. If there isn’t one in the field than as soon as the GN/GO takes effect taking the specified crossings off line, the horns theoretically can stop at that moment.

The crossing shouldn’t be taken off line until it’s is first blocked to roadway traffic which can be done and as far as engineers are concerned, the crossing even with Jersey barriers (K rails) installed is still in service until officially taken out of service as per the company’s rules.
Hope this helps.