I first started commuting in 1992, so I've witnessed quite a bit of LIRR over time. But my 2nd ride on LIRR did set a tone. That was early 1980's. I'm way out east somewhere, rust bucket country (do you remember the old diesel fleet?), waiting on a low platform for a westbound train. It's coming in, and I suddenly realize, it's just slowing down some, not actually stopping. I had to run after it and grab the handle and pull myself on. During my early commuting days, on the rust buckets, there were plenty of spots where you could see through the floor to the tracks below. In winter, if heaters worked, they could melt your shoes or boots if you let them touch the heater, but you'd be freezing higher up. Sometimes, in the cars that had their own generators, lights, heat, etc. were off because no one bothered to refuel them.
So in actuality, my expectations have gotten pretty low over time. But IMHO, this opening EB only seems mainly to be a publicity stunt as part of our Gov's election campaign. I can't actually think of how most people could utilize this one way only.
As to my comments about how they answer emails, except for Helena's 'direct' email link, I've found this pretty much useless. Even when I finally would get a response, it seldom answered my issue or question. For instance, my station building was 'modernized'. I didn't ask about the horribly painful to sit on divided benches. I did ask about high intensity spotlights in the sidewalk around the building facing straight up into the eyes of the people walking by. I couldn't get a straight answer over multiple tries. I asked about there being only two next train displays on either end of a very long platform, meaning that most riders can't see the updates. I finally got an answer - we met government requirements (the displays didn't have to be useful). Numerous reports of a PA system that you couldn't hear. Etc.
There was a time, years back, before some 'old timers' retired, that you could find a way around this mentality (or lack thereof). East end of EB Huntington Station platform, probably about 1992-3), I'd get off the train fairly forward (there were seats up front), and half to walk quite a distance to find steps. I made a call to the branch manager, now retired, asked what could be done to get some steps from the platform down to ground and the ground level of the garage. An official 'fix' could have taken years, but a few days later I found a new set of perfectly usable stairs there. Not fancy, but well made and quite quickly by his staff. Problem solved, quite inexpensively.
Many years later, at my 'rebuilt' station building, I tried a few times to wait inside to get picked up. Except it was locked up tight. A sign with the hours made it clear it should be open. And once, there was an LIRR employee inside. I knocked, asked him to open up since it was supposed to be open, and he cursed me out. Point being, not the same quality of branch staff at that time. For that, I did file a formal complaint.
When Helena was President of LIRR, I knew that if something was wrong and could readily be fixed, to let her know. It would be, typically within a day or two. Since her 'departure', not so much. Phil Eng cares, but he's not reachable (unless I would choose to ambush him during his commute, which I wouldn't ever do). And my impression is that he has little control over what goes on, anyway. And I have minimal patience for mediocrity. Nothing's perfect, but too much at LIRR, IMHO, is mediocre. Like train speeds averaging under 30 on some rush hour trains I took pre pandemic. Nothing better than 40. LIRR feels as slow as a tourist railroad, not like a serious commuter railroad.
