Valley Interlocking Switch & Signal Improvements Project

Busing and Train Diversions Will Affect Babylon, Montauk, Far Rockaway, Long Beach, West Hempstead and Greenport Branches

Train service on five MTA Long Island Rail Road South Shore branches will be affected during the weekend of October 24 and 25 as work is completed on a major signal and switch modernization project in the Valley Stream area. The work will require a 48-hour suspension of train service through Valley Stream. Customers using the Babylon, Montauk, Far Rockaway, Long Beach and West Hempstead Branches this weekend will take buses for all or part of their trips and other trains will be diverted. To avoid delays, customers are advised to use North Shore branches this weekend. Unaffected lines include the Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma (west of Ronkonkoma) Branches.

Online Valley Stream Switch and Signal Improvments Project Brochure available here.

The Valley Interlocking Signal Cutover Project brings state-of- the-art technology to this critical LIRR location by replacing the early 20th century relay based signal technology with a modern microprocessor based system. In addition, 30 switches in the area were modernized with electronic components replacing the outdated mechanical ones. The cost of the project is approximately $60-million. Funding is provided by the MTA LIRR Capital Improvement Program and the Federal Transit Administration.

“This weekend outage is needed as part of our ongoing effort to modernize the LIRR’s signal system, which controls train traffic,” said LIRR President Helena Williams. “When it is completed it will mean fewer maintenance-related delays and better service for our customers.”

Extra LIRR personnel will be on duty throughout the weekend of October 24-25 to assist customers and to make sure the project is completed on time.

The service impacts are as follows:

Babylon Branch
Rockville Centre Station & Baldwin Station
Westbound: Customers will board buses at their station for express bus service to Jamaica where they will transfer to trains to complete their trips.
Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains at western terminals and transfer at Jamaica for express bus service to their stations.
Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes.

Freeport Station through Lindenhurst Station
Customers will travel east to go west taking a shuttle train operating between Freeport and Babylon. Passengers will board trains at their stations and travel eastbound to Babylon and then transfer to dual mode (double-decker) trains for direct service via the Central Branch and Main Line to western terminals. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 50 minutes.

Babylon Station
Customers will have hourly train service from diesel (double-decker) and dual mode (also double-decker) trains which will operate over the Central Branch and Main Line to Jamaica and Penn Station. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 25 minutes.

St. Albans Station
Customers will take vans to and from Jamaica for both eastbound and westbound service.

Montauk Branch
Departure times for some trains will be up to seven minutes earlier and some trains will be re-routed via the Central Branch and Main Line.

Far Rockaway Branch
Westbound: Customers will board buses at their stations and transfer to trains at Rosedale to complete their trips.
Eastbound: Customers will board trains at western terminals and transfer to buses at Rosedale for Valley Stream, Gibson, Hewlett, Woodmere, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, Inwood and Far Rockaway Stations. Customers should anticipate up to 40 minutes additional travel time. As an alternative, customers Far Rockaway through Gibson customers can use LI Bus N31/32 to Hempstead, and transfer to the LIRR.

Long Beach Branch
Westbound: Customers will board trains at their stations and transfer to buses at Lynbrook for express bus service to Jamaica where they will transfer to trains to complete their trips.
Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains at western terminals and transfer to buses at Jamaica then transfer to trains at Lynbrook for Centre Avenue, East Rockaway, Oceanside, Island Park and Long Beach Stations.
Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes.

West Hempstead Branch
Buses will replace trains between Jamaica and stations St. Albans through West Hempstead. Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 30 minutes. To avoid busing, customers are advised to use the LIRR’s nearby Hempstead Branch.

Main Line east of Ronkonkoma
Due to increased use of diesel trains during this weekend on the Babylon Branch, buses will replace trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport.
Westbound: Customers will board buses at their stations and transfer to trains at Ronkonkoma to complete their trips.
Eastbound: Customers will board regularly scheduled trains to Ronkonkoma and then transfer to buses to complete their trips.
Customers should anticipate increased travel time of up to 40 minutes.

Customers should pick up a copy of the special October 24-25 Valley Interlocking weekend timetable for their branch at all terminals or their local stations which will be available by mid-October. Online Valley Stream Switch and Signal Improvments Project Brochure available here.  Customers can also contact the LIRR’s 24-hour Travel Information Center in Nassau County at 516-822-LIRR, in Suffolk County at 631-231-LIRR or New York City at 718-217-LIRR. The Travel Information Center’s TDD phone number for the hearing impaired is 718-558-3022.