New updates for the Long Island Railroad will be effect in December, reported Streetsblog NYC.
As part of these updates, the LIRR will begin service into the newly named Grand Central Madison subway station. However, with the new updates, trains to and from Brooklyn will now work as shuttle trains between the Atlantic Terminal and Jamaica, Queens subway stations.
Therefore, LIRR riders will have to navigate a new platform, Platform F, at the Queens station, which means spending more time commuting. Some riders are already expressing their frustration.
“I can already see the train I need to transfer to carelessly departing seconds before I can climb up and over from the stupid new Brooklyn shuttle platform,” tweeted an annoyed Jason Rabinowitz on May 31 when he reviewed the plan for the shuttle service.
Commuter rail blogger LIRR Today also blasted the decision to move to mostly shuttle service between Brooklyn and Jamaica. “Travel times between Long Island and Brooklyn will increase by an average of 12.7 minutes,” the blogger said.
With the new updates, trains to and from Brooklyn will no longer have a specific timed connection waiting at Jamaica. Instead, travelers will be forced to just rely on pulling into Jamaica and heading to Platform F to wait for the next train whenever it might come.
The MTA will be holding three information sessions (Thursday, June 23 at 6:00 p.m.; Thursday, June 30 at 6:00 p.m. and Thursday, July 7 at 6:00 p.m.) on the new proposed timetables.
There will also be one public meeting inviting comment on the timetables (Wednesday, July 13 at 6:00 p.m).
You can also submit virtual comments on the proposed timetables here.
