Ronkonkoma Branch Customers

Yesterday, July 8, three cars of a 14-car New York & Atlantic Railway (NY&AR) freight train derailed in Bethpage. The three derailed cars remained upright. None of the contents of any freight car spilled in the derailment. Of the three cars that derailed, two cars contained plastic pellets and one contained construction debris. Some of the other freight cars that did not derail, and were removed from the site, contained petroleum contaminated soil - none of which spilled. In the normal transporting of contaminated soil by the NY&AR, the material is wrapped in non-permeable tarping and stickers are placed on all sides of the cars identifying the material.

As a result of the freight derailment, the LIRR operated with delays ranging from 5 to 15 minutes during Wednesday's evening rush hour on trains east of Hicksville.

The LIRR assisted the NY&AR in re-railing the derailed freight cars and operated a regular morning rush hour on the Ronkonkoma branch Thursday, July 9