Railroad Forums 

  • MTA LIRR Double Track Project - Ronkonkoma to Farmingdale

  • Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.
Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #1483021  by Trainmaster5
 
geico wrote:
MattAmity90 wrote:In my youth (1990-2008) so much has changed, obviously due to technology and technological upgrades, but it also needed to be done. The Ronkonkoma Branch of my youth is somewhat changed because for a long time I was hoping they would double-track it and I could see it. Seeing Wyandanch the way it is now, I can't fathom it. One shock I do have when it comes to the Ronkonkoma Branch is the fact that they didn't start this project sooner such as maybe 15 years ago to mark the beginning of the 21st-century. The money wasn't there I guess, mostly due to the M7's being rolled out from the contract they signed in 1999 to replace the M1 cars.

For the first time we have two fully-functional serviceable electrified tracks straight from Ronkonkoma to Deer Park, and I hope they are using both. Technically the double-track project portion from Ronkonkoma to JS is officially completed.
They are still parking MOW equipment on the South track in the area between Ronkonkoma station and Ocean Avenue. There are no "BARRICADE" signs up so I would guess the track is in official service. Eastbound trains are still doing the mambo during PM rush. North side Deer Park, North Side Brentwood, North Side CI (Or south side, seems to vary on day) and then back and forth at Ronkonkoma.
I'm not sure what they're doing during PM peak hours at Brentwood station. Monday afternoon around 5:30 -5:45 I was heading north on Brentwood Road when the crossing gates came down. One eastbound train platforms and leaves followed immediately by another eastbound. Before the gates went up a westbound train entered the station and made a stop. I'm not familiar with the schedule over there but IIRC there used to be a westbound gap of three hours from 4:20 -7:20 when there was no service westbound. I'm guessing that both tracks are in use in some locations. I'm still trying to figure out how the 7:15 am train turns around from an eastbound to a westbound put in at Brentwood with the switch removed at Brent.
 #1483096  by MattAmity90
 
Both tracks are in service at Brentwood, but they combined the two former Central Islip interlockings (CI1 & CI2) into one main interlocking which is located in between the Peters Blvd and Islip Ave. grade crossings. A train using Track 1 at Central Islip probably crossed over to Track 2 after the Eastbound cleared the signals. Off topic, they are in the process of connecting the second track at FARM2! The tracks at FARM2 will look wavy and the trains will look like swerving cars on the LIE.
 #1483108  by geico
 
Trainmaster5 wrote:
geico wrote:
MattAmity90 wrote:In my youth (1990-2008) so much has changed, obviously due to technology and technological upgrades, but it also needed to be done. The Ronkonkoma Branch of my youth is somewhat changed because for a long time I was hoping they would double-track it and I could see it. Seeing Wyandanch the way it is now, I can't fathom it. One shock I do have when it comes to the Ronkonkoma Branch is the fact that they didn't start this project sooner such as maybe 15 years ago to mark the beginning of the 21st-century. The money wasn't there I guess, mostly due to the M7's being rolled out from the contract they signed in 1999 to replace the M1 cars.

For the first time we have two fully-functional serviceable electrified tracks straight from Ronkonkoma to Deer Park, and I hope they are using both. Technically the double-track project portion from Ronkonkoma to JS is officially completed.
They are still parking MOW equipment on the South track in the area between Ronkonkoma station and Ocean Avenue. There are no "BARRICADE" signs up so I would guess the track is in official service. Eastbound trains are still doing the mambo during PM rush. North side Deer Park, North Side Brentwood, North Side CI (Or south side, seems to vary on day) and then back and forth at Ronkonkoma.
I'm not sure what they're doing during PM peak hours at Brentwood station. Monday afternoon around 5:30 -5:45 I was heading north on Brentwood Road when the crossing gates came down. One eastbound train platforms and leaves followed immediately by another eastbound. Before the gates went up a westbound train entered the station and made a stop. I'm not familiar with the schedule over there but IIRC there used to be a westbound gap of three hours from 4:20 -7:20 when there was no service westbound. I'm guessing that both tracks are in use in some locations. I'm still trying to figure out how the 7:15 am train turns around from an eastbound to a westbound put in at Brentwood with the switch removed at Brent.

last Westbound in the afternoon leaves Ronk at 4:48, so that is what you probably saw. And it was running late, its supposed to be in Farmingdale at 5:16.

The 7:15 Brentwood Train (aka what was the 7:04 from Ronk), goes to the new CI interlocking and reverses. It use to do it at BRENT till a few weeks ago.
 #1483152  by MACTRAXX
 
geico wrote:
Trainmaster5 wrote:
geico wrote:
MattAmity90 wrote:In my youth (1990-2008) so much has changed, obviously due to technology and technological upgrades, but it also needed to be done. The Ronkonkoma Branch of my youth is somewhat changed because for a long time I was hoping they would double-track it and I could see it. Seeing Wyandanch the way it is now, I can't fathom it. One shock I do have when it comes to the Ronkonkoma Branch is the fact that they didn't start this project sooner such as maybe 15 years ago to mark the beginning of the 21st-century. The money wasn't there I guess, mostly due to the M7's being rolled out from the contract they signed in 1999 to replace the M1 cars.

For the first time we have two fully-functional serviceable electrified tracks straight from Ronkonkoma to Deer Park, and I hope they are using both. Technically the double-track project portion from Ronkonkoma to JS is officially completed.
They are still parking MOW equipment on the South track in the area between Ronkonkoma station and Ocean Avenue. There are no "BARRICADE" signs up so I would guess the track is in official service. Eastbound trains are still doing the mambo during PM rush. North side Deer Park, North Side Brentwood, North Side CI (Or south side, seems to vary on day) and then back and forth at Ronkonkoma.
I'm not sure what they're doing during PM peak hours at Brentwood station. Monday afternoon around 5:30 -5:45 I was heading north on Brentwood Road when the crossing gates came down. One eastbound train platforms and leaves followed immediately by another eastbound. Before the gates went up a westbound train entered the station and made a stop. I'm not familiar with the schedule over there but IIRC there used to be a westbound gap of three hours from 4:20 -7:20 when there was no service westbound. I'm guessing that both tracks are in use in some locations. I'm still trying to figure out how the 7:15 am train turns around from an eastbound to a westbound put in at Brentwood with the switch removed at Brent.

last Westbound in the afternoon leaves Ronk at 4:48, so that is what you probably saw. And it was running late, its supposed to be in Farmingdale at 5:16.
TM and Geico: A special schedule for the Ronkonkoma Branch was in effect for the five day week
of August 6 to 10 in which Train #2061 departure time west from KO was 5:08PM - 20 minutes
later then normal...I sometimes use Train #2061 to go to Carle Place changing at Hicksville to
the local from Huntington that is scheduled right behind 4 minutes later. With this change #2061
ran 10 minutes behind that same local meaning a more then hour wait at Hicksville to get to Carle
Place - thanks to that transfer factor I did not ride #2061 during that time period. With the
current three week weekday timetable #2061 is back to its normal 4:48PM west time slot.
MACTRAXX
 #1483253  by MattAmity90
 
The reason behind the modified weekday schedule all the way through August 31st is because now the NTC equipment is doing rail and tie replacement work on the South side in between Central Islip and Ronkonkoma right now. All trains are now running on the new second track, and utilizing Platform A at Central Islip. They literally tore up the old track and laid new track immediately, the entire stretch has been laid in between KO and CI and only needs to be dumped with ballast into the trench and third rail added. They literally take something old and dirty, and right behind is something new and clean.

I'm assuming that once they finish that up, they will replace the already existing North track from where CI2 was located to the new and current CI Interlocking. I guess they are killing two birds with one stone by finishing up the new second track and replacing the already existing track in unison.

Wyandanch is seeing installation of platform lighting, the staircases are completed with hoses going into a small shack next to the Southern elevator. I'm guessing that is the platform heater's room with the elements installed under the platform.

A new tall pedestal signal has been erected on its' anchoring at Pinelawn, along with a disconnection of the second track at FARM2.
 #1483383  by tj48
 
Passed over the Carll's Path crossing Friday in a thunderstorm. LIRR MOW crews using a Little Giant crane and 2 large front end loaders were waiting out the storm to continue connecting the new second track that had been temporarily connected to the Astro stone yard to the new mainline. I didn't notice the switch to the Astro yard but then again it was raining quite hard.
 #1483415  by MNCRR9000
 
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/tra ... 1.20532555" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A second set of train tracks between Ronkonkoma and Farmingdale — a project at the top of the Long Island Rail Road’s wish list for decades — is weeks away from completion, providing the potential for improved service for tens of thousands of daily commuters, LIRR officials said.

Three years after LIRR crews laid the first segment of a new track in Ronkonkoma, the railroad’s half-billion-dollar “Double Track” project is scheduled to wrap up by the end of this summer.

As it races to the finish line, the LIRR's largest capacity expansion project in decades is causing some frustration, including in the form of required service outages throughout the summer. As one example, to complete the work, the LIRR is eliminating weekday overnight train service between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma for the next two weeks. But with the original, single track already shifted—in some areas by as much as 7 feet — and nearly 18 miles of new track and third rail already installed, LIRR workers and private contractors are in the final stretch of their work. Crews have been installing and testing new switches and signals and putting the finishing touches on some station upgrades on the west end of the project path, including at Wyandanch and Pinelawn.

“We are jamming,” said Janno Lieber, chief development officer for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “It’s really an intense push to get this done. And we’re excited to be reaching this point.”

“We fully expect to be done by the end of this summer,” LIRR president Phillip Eng added. “This is here. This is real.”

Once complete, the 184-year-old LIRR will, for the first time, operate on at least two tracks on its Main Line from Manhattan to Ronkonkoma — a trip made by more than 45,000 Long Islanders daily.
 #1483491  by AlKaLI
 
Passed by New Highway in Farmingdale on Sunday morning about 10:30 AM. A lot of activity at the crossing. LIRR M of W and other vehicles parked all over.
LIRR 163 with about ten ballast hoppers and another MP15AC on the end was just east of the crossing on the new main with the concrete ties.
To the west, several Plasser American tampers/stabilizers were rolling back and forth. The site was busy.
 #1483508  by MACTRAXX
 
braves wrote:What about the half hour off peak & weekend service that was promised.
Braves: More then likely half hour Ronkonkoma Branch frequencies will have to wait until both the Floral Park-Hicksville Third Track Project
and the major schedule changes to be implemented with the final completion of ESA are up and running...MACTRAXX
 #1483538  by geico
 
MACTRAXX wrote:
braves wrote:What about the half hour off peak & weekend service that was promised.
Braves: More then likely half hour Ronkonkoma Branch frequencies will have to wait until both the Floral Park-Hicksville Third Track Project
and the major schedule changes to be implemented with the final completion of ESA are up and running...MACTRAXX
Probably extend the midday Farmingdale Trains to start/end in Ronk
 #1483542  by berlintransit
 
geico wrote:
MACTRAXX wrote:
braves wrote:What about the half hour off peak & weekend service that was promised.
Braves: More then likely half hour Ronkonkoma Branch frequencies will have to wait until both the Floral Park-Hicksville Third Track Project
and the major schedule changes to be implemented with the final completion of ESA are up and running...MACTRAXX
Probably extend the midday Farmingdale Trains to start/end in Ronk
I was under the impression that these trains will cease to operate during heavy construction of the Main Line 3rd Track Project. There will be single-tracking on segments of the route between Hicksville and Floral Park in between the AM and PM peaks so there will be no capacity for the Farmingdale extras in the next 3 - 4 years.
 #1483546  by MattAmity90
 
The old track in between Ronkonkoma and Central Islip has been fully surfaced with ballast, which needs to be evened out since you can't see the ties. Afterwards they will add the third rail because the white supports that will hold up the third rail are there. A manual switch has been added to DK with the new track straightened out, and it is in the same condition as the replacement track in between KO and CI.

Railing has been added to the side of both platforms at Wyandanch, with the platform heating elements waiting to be connected to the loop. Curbs are being poured to the South of the ROW and there is a lack of fencing at the East end of the new platform. The Southern track at Central Islip has been replaced, and once that is completed, most likely they will replace the Northern track from CI Interlocking to where the new second track was connected, and possibly all the way through Deer Park.

Pinelawn is seeing a turnout/parking lot outline and curbing being laid along with railing on the ramps and new staircases to both platforms. A new Solari sign is already erected on the new platform. Hopefully the fence will follow, and in addition to the pedestal signal on the pole, a bagged pedestal signal was installed just West of Wellwood Avenue for the freight switch.
 #1483729  by njtmnrrbuff
 
It’s a safe guess that the half hourly off peak and weekend service to KO will have to wait until the third track is ready for operation. It would have been better for the MTA to announce that before putting the upcoming changes out. It’s a start to see some more reverse peak trains to Ronkonkoma but the spacing between runs can be improved.
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