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Adlink ConnectRail
Overview
HeadquartersWinston Heights
Reporting markBEA
LocaleBeacon,BEA
Dates of operationJune 18, 1898 (1898-06-18)–Present (Present)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC 25 kV 60 Hz AC (Catenary)[1]
Length35 miles (56 km)
Other
WebsiteN/A


The Adlink ConnectRail (reporting mark BEA), legally known as the ConnectRail Company and often abbreviated as the ACR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Beacon, stretching from Manhatten to the state of Beacon. With an average weekday ridership of 456,284 passengers in 2017, it is the second busiest commuter railroad in North America.[2][3] It is also one of the world's few commuter systems that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.[4] It is publicly owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and AdlinkConnectTransportation, which refers to it as MTAConnectRail.

The Adlink logo combines the circular MTA logo with the text Adlink ConnectRail, and appears on the sides of trains. The ConnectRail is one of three commuter rail systems owned by the MTA, the other being the Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road. Established in 1889 and Still operated continuously since then, it used to be the three-oldest US railroad still operating under its original name and charter before it got changed around a few times.[5]

History

[edit]
George Bradford Brainerd (American, 1845-1887). Station, Bay Shore, Long Island, September 1879. Collodion silver glass wet plate negative. Brooklyn Museum
LIRR (Montauk & NY) RPO cover (TR27) for the road's 100th anniversary in 1934

The Long Island Rail Road Company was chartered in 1834 to provide a daily service between New York and Boston via a ferry connection between its Greenport, New York, terminal on Long Island's North Fork and Stonington, Connecticut. This service was superseded in 1849 by the land route through Connecticut that became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The LIRR refocused its attentions towards serving Long Island, in competition with other railroads on the island. In the 1870s, railroad president Conrad Poppenhusen and his successor Austin Corbin acquired all the railroads and consolidated them into the LIRR.[6]

The LIRR was unprofitable for much of its history. In 1900, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) bought a controlling interest as part of its plan for direct access to Manhattan which began on September 8, 1910. The wealthy PRR subsidized the LIRR during the first half of the new century, allowing expansion and modernization.[5] Electric operation began in 1905.[7]

After the Second World War, the railroad industry's downturn and dwindling profits caused the PRR to stop subsidizing the LIRR, and the LIRR went into receivership in 1949. The State of New York, realizing how important the railroad was to Long Island's future, began to subsidize the railroad in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1966, New York State bought the railroad's controlling stock from the PRR and put it under the newly formed Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority (renamed Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968). With MTA subsidies the LIRR modernized further, continuing to be the busiest commuter railroad in the United States.[5]

Major stations

[edit]
The LIRR Penn Station ticket counter displays all locations served by the railroad.
Long Island City station and yard
Platforms at Jamaica

The LIRR operates out of three western terminals, in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Jamaica Station in central Queens is the hub of all railroad activities. Expansion of the system into Grand Central Terminal is expected over the next few years. Major stations include:

Passenger lines and services

[edit]
Schematic of services
C3 Bi-level coaches at grade crossing in Bethpage

Current branches

[edit]

The Long Island Rail Road system has eleven passenger branches. Three main trunk lines, the Main Line, Montauk Branch, and Atlantic Branch, spin off eight smaller branches. For scheduling and advertising purposes some of these branches are divided into sections such as the case with the Montauk Branch, which is known as the Babylon Branch service in the electrified portion of the line between Jamaica and Babylon, while the diesel service beyond Babylon to Montauk is referred to as the Montauk Branch service. All branches except the Port Washington Branch pass through Jamaica; the trackage west of Jamaica (except to Port Washington) is known as the City Terminal Zone. The City Terminal Zone includes portions of the Main Line and Atlantic and Montauk Branches as well as the Amtrak-owned East River Tunnels to Penn Station. The passenger lines are:

Former branches

[edit]

The railroad has dropped a number of branches due to lack of ridership over the years. Part of the Rockaway Beach Branch became part of the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway, while others were downgraded to freight branches, and the rest abandoned entirely. Additionally, the Long Island Railroad operated trains over portions of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT) elevated and subway lines until 1917.[16]

Additional services

[edit]

In addition to its daily commuter patronage, the LIRR also offers the following services:

Former branches

[edit]

The railroad has dropped a number of branches due to lack of ridership over the years. Part of the Rockaway Beach Branch became part of the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway, while others were downgraded to freight branches, and the rest abandoned entirely. Additionally, the Long Island Railroad operated trains over portions of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT) elevated and subway lines until 1917.[28]

Additional services

[edit]

In addition to its daily commuter patronage, the LIRR also offers the following services:


Fare structure

[edit]

Like Metro-North Railroad and New Jersey Transit, the Long Island Rail Road fare system is based on the distance a passenger travels, as opposed to the New York City Subway, which has a flat rate throughout the system. The railroad is broken up into eight numbered fare zones. Zone 1 includes all of the City Terminal Zone.[38] Zone 3 includes Jamaica (and Flushing) and all stations east of Jamaica (and Flushing) within the boundaries of New York City, except Far Rockaway and Belmont Park.[39] Zones 4 and 7 include all the stations in Nassau County and Far Rockaway.[39] Zones 9, 10, 12 and 14 include all the stations in Suffolk County.[39] Each zone contains many stations, and the same fare applies for travel between any station in the origin zone and any station in the destination zone.[39]

Peak and off-peak fares

[edit]

Peak fares are charged during the week on trains that arrive at western terminals between 6 AM and 10 AM, and for trains that depart from western terminals between 4 PM and 8 PM.[40] Any passenger holding an off-peak ticket on a peak train is required to pay a step up fee.[41] Passengers can buy tickets from ticket agents or ticket vending machines (TVMs) or on the train from conductors, but will incur an on-board penalty fee for doing so.[41] This fee is waived for customers boarding at a station without a ticket office or ticket machine, senior citizens, people with disabilities or Medicare customers.[41]

There are several types of tickets: one way, round trip, peak, off-peak, AM peak or off-peak senior/citizen disabled, peak child, and off-peak child. On off-peak trains, passengers can buy a family ticket for children who are accompanied by an 18-year-old for $0.75 if bought from the station agent or TVM, $1.00 on the train. Senior citizen/disabled passengers traveling during the morning peak hours are required to pay the AM peak senior citizen/disabled rate. This rate is not charged during PM peak hours.[citation needed]

Commuters can also buy a peak or off-peak ten trip ride, a weekly unlimited or an unlimited monthly pass.[42] Monthly passes are good on any train regardless of the time of day, within the fare zones specified on the pass.[42]

Special fares

[edit]

During the summer the railroad offers special summer package ticket deals to places such as Long Beach, Jones Beach, the Hamptons, Montauk, and Greenport. Passengers traveling to the Hamptons and Montauk on the Cannonball can reserve a seat in the all-reserved Parlor Cars.[43]

Passengers going to Belmont Park must buy a special ticket to go from Jamaica to Belmont Park (or vice versa). Weekly and monthly passes are not accepted at Belmont Park.[44]

CityTicket

[edit]

In 2003, the LIRR and Metro-North started a pilot program in which passengers traveling within the city limits were allowed to buy one-way tickets for $2.50.[45] The special reduced-fare CityTicket, proposed by the New York City Transit Riders Council,[45] was formally introduced in 2004.[46] On weekends, the railroad offers the CityTicket for passengers who travel within Zones 1 and 3 (i.e. within New York City). CityTickets can only be bought from ticket agents or machines and used on the day of purchase.[44] They are not valid for travel to Far Rockaway because it is in Zone 4 and the Far Rockaway Branch passes through Nassau County.[44] It is also not valid for travel to the Belmont Park station, which is only open for special events.[44]

Freedom Ticket

[edit]

In fall 2017, the MTA was slated to launch a pilot that will allow LIRR, bus and subway service to use one ticket.[47] The proposal for the ticket, called the "Freedom Ticket," was initially put forth by the New York City Transit Riders Council (NYCTRC) in 2007.[48]: 1  The NYCTRC wrote a proof of concept report in 2015.[49] At the time of the report, express bus riders from Southeast Queens had some of the longest commutes in the city, with their commutes being 96 minutes long, yet they paid a premium fare of $6.50. Riders who take the dollar van to the subway paid $4.75 to get to Manhattan in 65 minutes; riders who only took the bus and subway paid $2.75 to get to Manhattan in 86 minutes; and riders who took the LIRR paid $10 to get to Manhattan in 35 minutes.[48]: iii  Unlike the CityTicket, the Freedom Ticket would be valid for off-peak and multidirectional travel; have free transfers to the subway and bus system; and be capped at $215 per month.[48]: 1–2  At the time, monthly CityTickets cost $330 per month.[49]

The Freedom Ticket will initially be available for sale at the Atlantic Terminal, Nostrand Avenue, and East New York stations in Brooklyn and at the Laurelton, Locust Manor, Rosedale, and St. Albans stations in Queens.[47][50][51] Riders, under the pilot, would be able to purchase one-way, weekly, or monthly passes that will be valid on the LIRR, on buses, and the subway. The fare will be higher than the price of a ride on the MetroCard, but it will be lower than the combined price of an LIRR ticket and a MetroCard, and it will allow unlimited free transfers between the LIRR, buses, and subway.[51] The former head of the MTA, Thomas Prendergast, announced at the January 2017 board meeting that the plan would be explored in a field study to determine fares and the impact on existing service.[47] The plan is intended to fill approximately 20,000 unused seats of existing trains to Atlantic Terminal and Penn Station (or about 50% to 60% of peak trains in each direction),[50] while at the same time providing affordable service to people with long commutes.[51] The details will be announced in spring 2017, and the pilot will last six months.[47] The LIRR is one of the few railroads that has survived as an intact company from its original charter to the present.[5]

Equipment

[edit]

The LIRR's electric fleet consists of 836 M7 and 170 M3 electric multiple unit cars in married pairs, meaning each car needs the other one to operate, with each car containing its own engineer's cab. The trainsets typically range up to 12 cars long. In September 2013, MTA announced that the LIRR would procure new M9 railcars from Kawasaki starting in 2016.[52] They will replace the M3s, and expand the railroad's electric fleet.

The LIRR also uses 134 C3 Bilevel coaches powered by 24 DE30AC diesel-electric locomotives and 21 DM30AC dual-mode locomotives. They are used mostly on non-electrified territories, including the Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay, Montauk, and Greenport Branches.[53]

Named trains

[edit]

For most of its history LIRR has served commuters, but it had many named trains, some with all-first class seating, parlor cars, and full bar service. Few of them lasted past World War II, but some names were revived during the 1950s and 1960s as the railroad expanded its east end parlor car service with luxury coaches and Pullman cars from railroads that were discontinuing their passenger trains.

Current trains

[edit]
  • The Cannonball, a Friday-only 12-car train to Montauk running May through October, with two all-reserved parlor cars with full bar service. Since May 24, 2013 it has originated at Penn Station with a Sunday evening return from Montauk; only the westward train stops at Jamaica. The two rear cars ("Hamptons Reserve Service") have reserved seating and exclusive bar service.[54] The name is a nod to the Cannon Ball, the all-year train to Amagansett/Montauk from the 1890s until the 1970s. It carried parlor cars and standard-fare coaches and ran weekday afternoons from Long Island City, then from Penn Station until 1951.[55]

Former trains

[edit]
  • Fisherman's Special (1932–1950s) from Long Island City to Canoe Place Station and Montauk via Jamaica, April through October, terminating at Canoe Place in April, extended to Montauk in May. Served Long Island fishing trade.[56]
  • Peconic Bay Express / Shinnecock Bay Express (1926–1950) from Long Island City to Greenport and Montauk, Saturday only, express to Greenport and Montauk. Discontinued during World War II though revived for a few seasons afterwards.[55]
  • Shelter Island Express (1901–1903, 1923–1942) from Long Island City to Greenport, Friday-only summer express that connected to Shelter Island ferries.
  • Sunrise Special (1922–1942) ran during the summer, NY Penn to Montauk on Fridays and westbound Mondays. In summer 1926 it ran daily. All parlor car (no coaches) from 1932 to 1937.[57][58][59][60][61]

Planned service expansions

[edit]

In 2019, the LIRR expects to complete a project to add a second track along its Main Line between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma to relieve crowding. Currently, there is only double track from Bethpage to the site of the former Republic Station (east of Farmingdale), and again from Deer Park to Brentwood. Passing sidings exist east of Wyandanch, and at Central Islip.[62]

In 2023, the LIRR expects to complete the long-anticipated East Side Access project, allowing trains to access Grand Central Terminal.[63]

On January 5, 2016, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a revived project to add a third track to the Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville.[64] The Third Main Line Track and electrification expansions had been planned in conjunction with the commencement of service to Grand Central Terminal but were placed on hold in 2008 since local politicians in the affected areas were opposed to the plan and expressed concerns about the effects of the construction and train noise from eventual increase in service.[65] The third track on the Main Line will aid in relieving the crowding on the Main Line which is expected to grow after the East Side Access project is complete. The project also includes the elimination of all seven grade crossings and will be constructed within existing LIRR rights-of-way.[66]

There are 124 stations and more than 700 miles (1,100 km) of track[8] on its two lines to the two forks of the island and eight major branches, with the passenger railroad system totaling 319 miles (513 km) of route.[67]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter and End-of-Year 2016" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). March 16, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "MTA - Transportation Network". mta.info.
  4. ^ "MTA - Transportation Network". mta.info.
  5. ^ a b c d "LIRR History". mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  6. ^ "MTA LIRR - A Reflection (1984)". mta.info.
  7. ^ American Railway Association, (Division V - Mechanical) (1922). Wright, Roy V.; Winter, Charles (eds.). Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice (6th ed.). New York, NY: Simmons-Boardman Publishing. p. 903. OCLC 6201422.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Long Island Rail Road - General Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  9. ^ "Airtrain JFK". mta.info. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ MTA LIRR – Employment Opportunities Archived January 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (includes mailing address)
  11. ^ MTA Capital Construction – East Side Access
  12. ^ U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Transportation Secretary Signs Record $2.6 Billion Agreement to Fund New Tunnel Network To Give Long Island Commuters Direct Access to Grand Central Station Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, December 18, 2006
  13. ^ Second Avenue Sagas, East Side in-Access: A mid-project post mortem, January 29, 2014
  14. ^ Ron Ziel and George H. Foster, Steel Rails to the Sunrise, ©1965
  15. ^ "MTA | news | MTA's Proposed 2015 Budget Includes Systemwide Service Enhancements". Mta.info (Press release). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. July 29, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
  16. ^ Fazio, Alfred E (2008). The BMT A Technical and Operational History. pp. 28–31. ISBN 978-1-60702-864-2.
  17. ^ "CAMP UPTON - UPTON JUNCTION, LIRR". trainsarefun.com.
  18. ^ a b c d 1873 Flushing and North Side Railroad map
  19. ^ "LIRR Northport Spur". lirrhistory.com.
  20. ^ "8.02 - Query by Location". dot.gov.
  21. ^ Page 252 Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "WADING RIVER BRANCH". arrts-arrchives.com.
  23. ^ "white line". arrts-arrchives.com.
  24. ^ Mets – Willets Point 2015 Mets Home Gang April 13 – May 15, 2015 Archived April 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ LIRR to Double Service to New York Islanders Games Compared With Start of Last Season
  26. ^ Belmont Park Timetable April 29, 2015 to May 17, 2015 Archived April 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ a b MTA LIRR: Assembling the 2015 Ringling Brothers Circus Train to Depart LI
  28. ^ Fazio, Alfred E (2008). The BMT A Technical and Operational History. pp. 28–31. ISBN 978-1-60702-864-2.
  29. ^ "CAMP UPTON - UPTON JUNCTION, LIRR". trainsarefun.com.
  30. ^ "LIRR Northport Spur". lirrhistory.com.
  31. ^ "8.02 - Query by Location". dot.gov.
  32. ^ Page 252 Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ "WADING RIVER BRANCH". arrts-arrchives.com.
  34. ^ "white line". arrts-arrchives.com.
  35. ^ Mets – Willets Point 2015 Mets Home Gang April 13 – May 15, 2015 Archived April 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  36. ^ LIRR to Double Service to New York Islanders Games Compared With Start of Last Season
  37. ^ Belmont Park Timetable April 29, 2015 to May 17, 2015 Archived April 24, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  38. ^ LIRR Fare Zones Archived February 7, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  39. ^ a b c d "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  40. ^ "MTA LIRR - Fares & Ticket Information". mta.info.
  41. ^ a b c "MTA LIRR - Fares & Ticket Information". mta.info.
  42. ^ a b "MTA LIRR - Fares & Ticket Information". mta.info.
  43. ^ "MTA LIRR - Hamptons Reserve Service: The Best Route to the Hamptons!". MTA. November 6, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  44. ^ a b c d "MTA - CityTicket". mta.info.
  45. ^ a b Lisi, Clemente (July 15, 2003). "A RAILY CHEAP RIDE – $2.50 WEEKEND TIX ON LIRR, METRO-NORTH". New York Post. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  46. ^ "CityTicket Begins Tomorrow on LIRR And Metro-North" (Press release). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 9, 2004. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  47. ^ a b c d Barone, Vincent (February 8, 2017). "Freedom Ticket pilot launching in Brooklyn, Queens this fall, Borough President Adams says". am New York. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  48. ^ a b c Brashears, Bradley; Shannon, Ellyn; Bellisio, Angela (December 2015). "Freedom Ticket Southeast Queens Proof of Concept" (PDF). New York City Transit Riders Council. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  49. ^ a b Harshbarger, Rebecca; Teirstein, Zoya (December 2, 2015). "Freedom Ticket' could slash many hours from subway and bus riders' commutes, fight overcrowding, advocates say". am New York. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  50. ^ a b Walker, Ameena (February 9, 2017). "MTA will launch reduced fare pilot program for outer-borough commuters". Curbed NY. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  51. ^ a b c "MTA Will Test 'Freedom Ticket' For Commuters In Brooklyn And Queens Transit Deserts". Gothamist. February 8, 2017. Archived from the original on February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  52. ^ "MTA - news - New Railcars for LIRR & Metro-North Fleets". mta.info.
  53. ^ "MTA Long Island Railroad Committee Meeting March 2018" (PDF). mta.info.
  54. ^ "LIRR to Operate First Non-Stop Service from Manhattan to Hamptons". MTA Long Island Rail Road. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  55. ^ a b "THE LIRR EXTRA LIST". trainsarefun.com.
  56. ^ "LIRR Fisherman's Special (Arrt's Arrchives)". Arrts-arrchives.com. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  57. ^ Cite error: The named reference arrts-arrchives.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  58. ^ Cite error: The named reference arrts-arrchives1927 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  59. ^ Passenger car with "Sunrise Special" Drumhead (Arrt's Arrchives)
  60. ^ LIRR Named Passenger Trains (Pennsylvania Technical and Historical Society) Archived October 14, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  61. ^ Parlor Car Service between Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and The Hamptons and Montauk (Unofficial LIRR Website)
  62. ^ Castillo, Alfonso (April 17, 2012). "$138M to help LIRR begin track work early". Newsday. (subscription required)
  63. ^ "Long Island Committee Meeting December 2015" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. December 14, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  64. ^ LIRR to Undergo Major Improvements — Expanding Along Main Line from Floral Park to Hicksville, LIRR Expansion Project Team, January 5, 2016
  65. ^ Crichton, Sarah (July 11, 2012). "NIMBY mood hurts LIRR 3rd-track plan". Newsday. (subscription required)
  66. ^ Third Main Line Track project web site
  67. ^ "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Years Ended December 31, 2012 and 2011" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). June 21, 2013. p. 146. Retrieved August 29, 2014.