LIRR has fewer cars, crowding because of leaf damage to wheels
Long Island Rail Road riders are complaining this week about being crammed into fewer cars during the morning and evening rush hours, the result — according to the railroad — of wet leaves on the tracks.
Damage to train wheels that have skidded on wet rails in recent weeks is causing some trains to operate with fewer cars — a repeat of a problem that caused major problems for the LIRR late last year and early this year.
Freeport commuter Ashley Taliana said she had to run past three cars at Jamaica on Wednesday morning before finding one she could squeeze onto.
“The short cars, I think, really aggravate people. Not being able to sit when you [are going] home from work. Teetering in the middle of a car. You don’t want to be elbow to elbow with people, hovering over them,” said Taliana, who has been commuting on the LIRR for eight years and doesn’t remember leaves causing such a headache until last year.
“The leaves fall every year,” she added. “I don’t know what they need to do to be more prepared, but it feels like they should be.”
Dozens of riders have expressed similar outrage over the situation on social media in recent days — livid that their already-troubled commutes could be further complicated by the routine cycle of trees shedding leaves.
“Three days in a row this week, the 8:12 a.m. from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal has been short cars,” tweeted Denis Smith, who also shared a photo of passengers packed shoulder-to-shoulder on his train. “People standing in aisles the whole length of the train. Conductors don’t even bother coming to check tickets because you can’t move an inch.”
“Again, this morning we are short cars! Second day this week!” Wyandanch commuter Patti Amend tweeted. “What’s going on?”
LIRR officials could not immediately tabulate how many cars have been removed from service because of flat spots on wheels, a common problem for railroads operating in the Northeast in the autumn, when fallen leaves and rain can result in “slip-slide” conditions on the rails.
LIRR President Phillip Eng suggested the problem could be much worse were it not for the railroad’s recent “aggressive efforts to combat low-adhesion and its resulting flat wheels.” Those include pressure-washing rails, expanded management of overgrown vegetation near tracks, better training for engineers, and running trains at lower speeds.
Eng said the measures “have enabled us to protect our infrastructure and minimize the damage and instances of short trains in the face of what’s set to be one of the wettest Novembers on record in our region.”
The shortage has raised concerns among riders over a repeat of the railroad’s leaf problems from last year, when slippery conditions on the rails resulted in about 400 train cars — roughly one-third of the railroad’s fleet — having to be pulled out of service over several weeks with damaged wheels. A shortage of machines to repair the wheels prolonged the problem.
The issue, perhaps more than any other, contributed to a slew of delays that lasted into January — the railroad’s worst month in 22 years, according to its own statistics.
Eng noted that the railroad has increased its “wheel truing capacity” since last year, with three machines working around the clock repairing wheels. “Our efforts have allowed us to restore cars back into service more quickly and minimize the longer-term impacts we suffered during last year’s low-adhesion season,” Eng added.
The train car shortage also coincides with the announcement earlier this month of the MTA’s latest fare hike proposal, which could increase LIRR monthly tickets by up to $15 beginning in March. A public hearing on the plan is scheduled for Thursday night at the Long Island Hilton in Melville.
In several tweeted responses to riders, the LIRR explained that, “from time to time, trains will run short if part of its car consist [or lineup] is in need of servicing. It is not ideal, but helps us to prevent delays and cancellations.” The railroad also pledged its commitment “to improving the customer experience.”
A prolonged shortage of train cars could hamper the LIRR’s hopes of avoiding its worst annual on-time performance in nearly two decades. Severe crowding, on trains and at stations, can contribute to slower-than-usual passenger loading times at stations, the No. 1 cause of LIRR delays through the first 10 months of 2018.
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