Delays Due to Amtrak Penn Station Derailment

June 23, 2009

To Our Customers:

The Long Island Rail Road wants to apologize to customers who had to board crowded trains this morning and were late getting into Penn Station. The LIRR made emergency service changes after an Amtrak train derailed and blocked access to Track 13. With the loss of Track 13 and its platform, the LIRR had to reduce the number of trains coming into Penn. Five trains were cancelled at Jamaica, where customers were able to board other trains heading for Penn. Four other trains were diverted to Flatbush Avenue, in Brooklyn or Hunterspoint Avenue in Queens.

This evening there will again be track changes as Amtrak and the LIRR continue efforts to clear Track 13 and repair damaged track. The LIRR will cancel three Babylon rush hour trains to Wantagh and Freeport. Those customers will be accommodated by trains leaving Penn five to seven minutes later. The following trains will be canceled and combined:

• The 5:20 PM from Penn due Wantagh at 6:06 PM has been canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:25 PM from Penn, which normally ends in Freeport but will continue to Wantagh.

• The 5:41 PM from Penn due Seaford at 6:30 PM has been canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 5:48 PM from Penn, which normally ends in Freeport but will continue to Seaford.

• The 6:06 PM from Penn due Wantagh at 6:51 PM has been canceled. Customers will be accommodated by the 6:11 PM from Penn, which normally ends in Freeport but will continue to Wantagh.

Amtrak and LIRR crews will be working overnight to rerail the train equipment and repair any track damage.

The LIRR would also like to apologize to Port Washington branch customers who were delayed Monday night after signal problems caused the branch to be shutdown for a time. The cause of that incident is under investigation.

On time performance is a top priority at the Long Island Rail Road, but getting you to your destination safely is always our overriding concern.