LIRR Mainline Third Track Project

I'm pretty sure a settlement will be reached between MTA and the Village of G.C. And in a worst case scenario, I'd suggest what another poster said earlier on this topic. If the Village won't "play ball" then the LIRR should just say okay, no third track from Floral Park to Nassau-1 Interlocking (just east of Merillon Ave. station) and therefore no eastbound station-stops at New Hyde Park or Merillon Ave. Have a nice day!

H-E View: Here's another thought - The LIRR and MTA retailiates with closing and not replacing the Denton Av/
Tanners Pond Road underpass altogether unless a compromise with the Village of Garden City is reached.

This may actually make some of the neighbors in the adjacent Garden City neighborhood happy with the Denton
Avenue industrial traffic no longer using Tanners Pond Road even with the inconvenience of having to go west to
New Hyde Park Road or east to Nassau Boulevard to cross under the Main Line.

The LIRR has already given GC what they want to some extent by keeping the Denton Avenue/Tanners Pond Road
underpass one lane - when in actuality it should be re-built wide enough for two lanes along with the new added
pedestrian underpass for current day uses. This one bridge should not have to delay the entire Third Track Project
from being completed on time and in or close to budget for the rest of the 10.1 mile route affecting LIRR riders...
MACTRAXX

Now I understand. No eb local track. EB express only through there. While it will cause other problems, does help some. Are you the one who suggested removing the platform and station building? But hey, I'd remove wb side station platform and buildings also for those 2 stations. Announce a very short deadline now plus or else, and shutdown service to those stations as early as Nov 1. Make it very clear to passengers and the public as to why.

Can the LIRR just close a station without state approval?

The question might actually be moot. I still think a settlement will be reached. I don't believe the State and the MTA are going to let the completion of this large scale public works project be jeopardized at this point in time by one incorporated village, even a rich and powerful one. Too much money has already been spent and too much work done, to have it get screwed up now.

I hope you're right. But keep in mind that Long Island NIMBY's blocked this project for decades.

Not quite true Photobug56. They delayed the Third-Track Project for about ten or fifteen years (not decades) from when the idea was originally floated and hearings were held. What was delayed for decades was the elimination of grade crossings from New Hyde Park thru Mineola. Those villages opposed the idea of elevating the tracks thru their idyllic country villages. Fools they were.

OK.

In regard to grade elimination, South Shore seems to have benefited from it!

I'm a little late, but here's the latest photos on Mineola.
(All photos: Bill Mangahas Oct 24, 2021)

Looks to be coming along nicely. Now if only we could skip Garden City this could get done on time!

Thanks Newkirk; good photos.

"The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) of New York announced the completed upgrade of the New Cassel substation located within the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Main Line corridor, one of several scheduled for updates.

The New Cassel substation and seven others are being replaced or upgraded in anticipation of the LIRR’s Main Line expansion, MTA officials said in a press release. "

https://www.progressiverailroading.com/ ... ade--65078

While we are getting minimal info on ballasting and track laying, we do know that the electrical work seems to be going well. I like the cameras under each underpass.

Photobug56: This one's for you. LOL And I hope K&K is with us tonight too.

News12 this week featured the newly completed Carle Place Station. I went there this morning for a look see and was dismayed by a couple of things. One is that in the lobby of the elevator building on the the north side there are two ticket machines which is normal at LIRR stations. What wasn't normal was they were BOTH the "Daily Ticket" type, whereas at most stations there is one of those and a second "all type" ticket machine. I walked most of the platform and didn't see any other machines.

I'm wondering how you're supposed to buy a 10trip, weekly or monthly ticket at the new Carle Place Station......... Especially when there is no ticket agent there.

The second item is that the PA announcements were so low in volume that they could hardly be heard. A pretty sad commentary for a newly rebuilt station.

I've e-mailed LIRR on the MTA website about both matters. We'll see if I get an intelligent reply.

BTW, the third track has been laid thru both the Carle Place and Mineola Stations. Progress!

The third track was laid through Carle Place station before they built the temporary platform on top of it. Same at NHP and Merillon Ave.