OVERVIEW

The LIRR Expansion Project from Floral Park to Hicksville, one of the region's most significant transportation infrastructure projects, will improve mass transit, reduce traffic congestion, protect the environment, and enhance quality-of-life for communities along the Main Line. Major project elements include the elimination of seven grade crossings, new parking facilities, upgrades to railroad infrastructure and passenger rail stations, and other local improvements.

The completed project will enable more robust and reliable rail service, make living and working on Long Island easier and ensure the region's economic prosperity now and for the next century. The project began in January 2018 and is anticipated to be completed by late 2022. LIRR map with highlighted expansion zone between Floral Park and Hicksville

Today, approximately 40% of LIRR riders travel along this segment of the Main Line.  Source: MTA

LIRR Third Track - First Phase 10 major projects

Third Track Project Delayed - NEWSDAY late 1980's

$2.6 Billion Expansion Includes 50 Projects to Modernize 9.8 Miles of the Congested LIRR Main Line Between Floral Park and Hicksville

Expansion Includes New and Renovated Bridges, Elimination of Grade Crossings, New Power Substations, Additional Parking, Renovated Stations, Modern Track and Signal Infrastructure

Part of Governor's Overall $6 Billion Investment in 100 LIRR Projects to Transform Region's Commuter Rail Service and Bolster Economic Growth

Groundbreaking September 5, 2018 Photo: MTA

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced on September 5, 2018, that the Long Island Rail Road is breaking ground on the historic Third Track. The $2.6 billion expansion effort includes 50 projects to modernize 9.8 miles along the congested Main Line of the LIRR between Floral Park and Hicksville. Those projects include adding a third track, eliminating all seven street-level grade crossings within the project corridor, adding new power substations and parking, and modernizing track and signal infrastructure. Forty percent of LIRR riders pass through the Main Line.

"Since the 1940s, people talked about adding a third track and modernizing the Main Line corridor - and now we're actually doing it," Governor Cuomo said. "These projects taken together will create smoother and more reliable service for LIRR passengers while at the same time improving public safety by eliminating dangerous grade crossings. The LIRR is the backbone of the region's economy and this expansion effort will boost growth for generations."

Benefits of the project will include smoother and more reliable commutes, safer and quieter crossings, improvements to stations and parking facilities, reduced noise along the project corridor as well as less congestion and cleaner air.

Project elements along the Main Line corridor include:

9.8 miles of a new third track;
7 grade crossing eliminations, including Covert Avenue, South 12th Street, New Hyde Park Road, Main Street, Willis Avenue, Urban Avenue and School Street;
7 bridge replacements and modifications, including South Tyson Avenue Bridge, Plainfield Avenue Bridge, Tanners Pond Road/Denton Avenue Bridge, Glen Cove Road Bridge, Meadowbrook Parkway Bridge, and Cherry Lane Bridge;
5 station improvements, including New Hyde Park Station, Merillon Avenue Station, Mineola Station, Carle Place Station, and Westbury Station; in addition to ADA-compliant elevators at Floral Park Station;
7 SUBSTATION  REPLACEMENTS, including Floral Park Substation, New Hyde Park Substation, Merillon Avenue Substation, Mineola Substation, Carle Place Substation, Westbury Substation, and New Cassel Substation;
7.5 miles of sound/retaining walls; and
Additional improvements throughout the project corridor.

At the Governor's direction and after 70 years of stagnation, the state, MTA, local officials and Long Island communities are moving forward on this $2.6 billion project. The transformative new plan differs significantly from past proposals. The plan takes no residential properties, eliminates the seven street-level grade crossings, and widens or increases the height of seven bridges across the line to prevent bridge strikes.

As part of the transformative project, the state is also undertaking a comprehensive noise abatement program - replacing all tracks and building the new Third Track with advanced dampening technology. The project also includes sound-reducing walls along nearly six miles of residential neighborhoods along the mainline, and features architectural treatments to complement the surrounding environments.

The LIRR will also replace power infrastructure throughout the system with seven new traction power substations to improve reliability and increase capacity enough to power three LIRR trains traveling simultaneously. In addition, to increase safety, the system will add positive train control to prevent operator error.

To ensure community input throughout the entirety of the project, the LIRR has entered into memoranda of understanding with the communities on the Main Line Third Track. The MOUs invite input on project design, including aesthetic design of certain project elements such as sound walls, consideration for traffic and parking, utilities, drainage, pest and dust control, transit-oriented development, construction schedule and duration and community safety and quality of life.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota said, "Today is a grandly historic day for the LIRR and the MTA. This project will help the railroad overcome day to day operational challenges and dramatically increase capacity, and it will unlock the railroad's potential to serve reverse peak travel and propel Long Island as an economic growth engine. It has been a wish list item for as long as the MTA has existed, and today it is clear it will become a reality."

Janno Lieber, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chief Development Officer said, "This project is innovative in many ways. It's a design build project, which delivers better budget and more certain schedule. And we have designed to minimize community impacts and created significant economic incentives for the contractor to respect community commitments. We're showing how the MTA is changing to deliver benefits to the public faster, better and less expensively."

Long Island Rail Road President Philip Eng said, "The complete transformation of the Long Island Rail Road is what this region needs. Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, it's finally happening. With this historic investment, coupled with our LIRR Forward initiative, people across Long Island will begin to experience the world-class railroad they expect and deserve."

Senator Elaine Phillips said, "My job as State Senator is to be a voice for the communities and residents that this project directly impacts and I will continue to advocate on their behalf. As we work to transform and modernize the way Long Island residents commute and build a better and stronger region - we must take into account the quality of life of those affected by these new transformations. With that foremost in mind, I look forward to improved commuting experiences as well as public safety for those in my district."

Assembly Member Michael Montesano said, "I am so pleased we have finally broken ground on the 3rd track project for the LIRR. This is a much needed improvement which will help the Long Island economy and the transportation system as a whole. This nearly 10-mile addition will eliminate seven grade crossings, create 3,500 new parking spaces and give upgrades to the stations along the route. Commuters can rest easy knowing delays and cancellations will be decreasing and safety will be increasing. I look forward to these improvements being made to our communities."

Assembly Member Charles Lavine said, "I would like to thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership on the third track project. The third track would benefit my constituents who travel every day on the Oyster Bay, Huntington, and Ronkonkoma lines. By adding less than 10 miles of new track, we can alleviate the most congested corridor of the LIRR. I praise the Governor's leadership and advocacy on this project."

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, "After decades of talk, I am grateful for Governor Cuomo's action in providing reliable transportation and bringing a third track to Long Island Rail Road's Main Line. A reliable infrastructure is the backbone of a thriving economy, and this groundbreaking action will serve millions of New Yorkers for generations to come."

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said, "The Third Track will play a big role in supporting transit-oriented development throughout Nassau County. Once again we want thank Governor Cuomo for his continued and successful commitment to infrastructure improvements across New York State."

The Third Track expansion project is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2022.

Work on the Main Line is part of the historic $6 billion transformation of the Long Island Rail Road to strengthen the region's transportation infrastructure and usher in a new era of economic growth. In total, approximately 100 transformative LIRR capital projects are moving forward, including the Main Line Third Track, Double Track, Jamaica Station Reconstruction, 39 renovated Long Island Rail Road stations and grade crossing eliminations.

The project team has engaged in an unprecedented level of public outreach with a broad range of individuals and organizations, including community groups, elected and appointed officials, businesses, and residents. Many of the Project's elements and construction impact minimization measures are the direct result of input given by the public. A series of environmental and community commitments were developed over the course of the planning phase in coordination with many stakeholders along the Project corridor.  Source: MTA

MTA/LIRR Map - July 2019 Track-Programs

Project Overview MTA:  The South Tyson Avenue Bridge, located in the Village of Floral Park along the LIRR Main Line, is a steel through-girder bridge that spans over South Tyson Avenue; the Floral Park Viaduct is an adjacent elevated concrete structure supported by concrete column piers located west of South Tyson Avenue. The bridge, in service since 1958, is being modified, and a new two-track bay bridge is being installed to address an existing Main Line bottleneck – where four tracks merge into two – to create room for a new third track. The new third track will originate from the Hempstead Branch, then merge with the Main Line east of South Tyson Avenue to accommodate a future increase in capacity on the Main Line.

The Floral Park Viaduct has two separate components, one serving the Main Line, the other serving the Hempstead Branch, and both the Floral Park Viaduct and the South Tyson Avenue Bridge will be widened to accommodate the new third track. The bridge will be replaced using the method successfully employed at LIRR’s Post Avenue Bridge in Westbury, which was completed with limited disruption to train and road traffic, over a single weekend in October 2017.

New Hyde Park - Covert Avenue bridge roll-in. 8/24/2019  12 o'clock noon.
What was amazing about this project is that the bridge, retaining walls and the roadway base were all rolled into place as ONE PIECE.

This was the first time that this type of construction was performed in the US and utilized a jacking system rated at 1,000 tons.

The Community Outreach Manager for the project, Leslie Mesnick, welcomed me to come into the construction sight and take noon time photographs up close. Photos/Archive Dave Morrison

I met 10 year old Madison and her parents over our backyard fence during these months. She agreed to make the "Thank You LIRR" sign with me. 

My husband and I moved to South 12th Street 
In 1987.  I commuted to work in Manhattan until 
I retired in 2014.  I love the LIRR as it’s the best and least stressful way to Manhattan and to JFK as well as going Eastbound.  I always felt safe even late at night.  I also made so many friends over the years! Prior to 1987, I rode the LIRR from Northport! 

Vehicular traffic across the LIRR tracks will be permanently closed at the South 12th Street grade crossing. A pedestrian underpass will be built in the vicinity of South 12th Street, to maintain connectivity and access. Traffic will be diverted a quarter-mile away to either Covert Avenue or New Hyde Park Road, which will be grade-separated by new underpasses. MTA

Denton Ave Bridge - View E south side 4/10/2022

Photos/Archive: Dave Morrison

Denton Ave road closed - View S 1/03/2022

Denton Ave Bridge - View S  2/12/2022

Denton Ave Bridge below ground structure - View SW  2/12/2022

Denton Ave. bridge replacement 12/06/2021
LIRR Expansion-MTA

Denton Ave Bridge - View N  2/12/2022

Denton Ave Bridge - View NW  2/12/2022

Denton Ave Bridge - View N  2/27/2022

Denton Ave Bridge - View SW  4/30/2022

Merillon Ave Station Artwork 2/12/2022

Photos/Archive: Dave Morrison

LIRR was a ward of the PRR for a long time, so this was a PRR practice, with the 3rd track, the convention at Mineola will be:
# 3 track, westbound local # 1 track, center track, bidirectional Express #2 track, eastbound local. As is the current practice, all tracks will be CTC 261, i.e. any track, any time, any direction.

LIST-NRHS NASSAU Tower video

Railpace November 2021-Nassau Tower Raze

NASSAU Tower Raze

Another scene that will have lasted but one week only! On the left, new switch 31 (a higher-speed #15 turnout) has replaced switch 24 (was a #10, just like switch 26 on the right). Starting next week, after switch 26 (and its movable-point crossing of the same number) is replaced with new switch 32, Oyster Bay service will be permanently "constricted" with a single-track operation between Nassau 1 Interlocking and here.  Info/Photo/Archive: Jeff Erlitz


New NASSAU-2  5/2022 timetable noted

Switch 31 turnout goes from Track 3 to Track 1. Switch 32 also starts on Track 3 and goes to Track 2 Starting Monday morning, August 8th, 2022, every eastbound train to Oyster Bay will have to single-track from Nassau 1 Interlocking, through Mineola station (stopping only at the north platform), to Nassau 2 Interlocking. The May timetable already accommodated this single-tracking for the Oyster Bay service, therefore no timetable change will be necessary. This is the reconfigured Nassau 2 Interlocking. The only plus is that switch 31 (formerly switch 24) is now a #15 turnout rather than a #10. Trains can now proceed at 30 mph instead of 15 mph on moves to and from Oyster Bay Track 1. 

This is only an interim operation as the track work is done but the signal system is still the original layout. Note the base for home signal 2E on the right, which was removed this past weekend (along with home signal 2W off in the distance past Roslyn Rd).

I've placed labels onto what I call "Platform #1" and "Platform #2". I believe these platforms are portions of the new road, which will go underneath the bridge. Retaining walls will be constructed on each side of these platforms and a bridge will be placed across, with this superstructure will then be ready to be moved into place. The platform #1 superstructure will be moved south, becoming the bridge for the main line and Platform #2 will be moved north, becoming the bridge for the OB tracks. Dave Morrison

July 10, 2021 LIRR Main St, Nassau Tower, Davenport Press Restaurant, Mineola Photo/Archive: John F. Ciesla

Nassau Tower built in 1923 after the original brick tower was destroyed on New Years Eve 1922, is still standing, on borrowed time. It along with the Davenport Press restaurant are Mineola landmarks. Note the location of the orange traffic cones at the intersection of Main and front streets. This is the approximate location of a connecting track off the Hempstead line which crossed Main Street and the two track LIRR main line to connect with the Oyster Bay branch track curving to the left. The piles of gravel mark the location of the former brick substation.

July 10, 2021 LIRR Willis Ave cut through, View E, Mineola
Photo/Archive: John F. Ciesla

The weekend of July 10-11, 2021 marked the cut through of the final highway underpass of the third track project. Willis Ave in Mineola, along the main line of the LIRR was opened up. There was also considerable additional work going on at various other locations to take advantage of the track outage.

This is perhaps the first train to pass over the Willis Avenue bridge.

Note on track numbers: References in this group of photos is based on the new track numbering system which includes the new third track. Old track 1 becomes track 3, old track 2 becomes track 1, and the new "third" track becomes track 2.

The second day of the main line track outage (Sunday July 11), was filled with activity as forces worked hard to restore the track, signal and traction power systems for an early Monday morning startup.
 

Note that both signal masts refer to the "old" track numbers.
 

July 11, 2021 LIRR Willis Ave cut through, TC-827
Plasser PTS-62, Track 3, Mineola   Photo/Archive: John F. Ciesla

The second day of the main line track outage (Sunday July 11), was filled with activity as forces worked hard to restore the track, signal and traction power systems for an early Monday morning startup.

The TC-827 seems to be wading through a sea of ballast as it heads west to Nassau Tower to take its position.

All photos 6/28/2020 Dave Morrison

In service since 1953, the low-hanging Cherry Lane Bridge has been the site of many accidents over the years as a result of trucks striking the bridge, resulting in train and traffic delays while LIRR crews worked to determine the bridge safety and structural stability.  As part of our modernization program, we're replacing this bridge, June 1-3, to improve service reliability. The new bridge will not only be wide enough to support a third track, but will be two feet higher, reducing the number of delays related to bridge strikes by over-height trucks. Info: MTA

On Saturday and Sunday, westbound customers at stations Port Jefferson through Syosset will take trains to Hicksville, connect to a shuttle train from Hicksville to Babylon, then transfer to express trains from Babylon to Penn Station. Eastbound customers traveling to stations Syosset through Port Jefferson will board trains from Penn Station to Babylon, connect with a shuttle train to Hicksville, then board an eastbound Port Jefferson Branch train. MTA

CARLE PLACE (CARLL PLACE)  MAIN LINE DEPOT BUILT: 1837 WITH OPENING OF LIRR TO HICKSVILLE. (MINEOLA PARK) APPEARS ON TT OF 6/17/1837. REMOVED AS STATION STOP FROM TIMETABLE OF 1859. 2ND STATION OPENED WITH WOOD EN SHELTER SHED (NO AGENCY). IN SERVICE  BETWEEN MAY AND OCT./ 1923 PER ETT #99, EFF. 10/9/1923. REMOVED: 1952. 3RD STATION OPENED 400’ EAST OF FORMER LOCATION WITH HIGH-LEVEL PLATFORMS, SEMI- ENCLOSED SHELTERS AND PEDESTRIAN CROSSOVER: 1/21/52. NO AGENCY.
Research: Dave Keller

Carle Place Station Reconstruction Changes to Westbound Platform Boarding Patterns Effective June 10, 2019

Beginning on Monday, June 10, the west end of the westbound platform at Carle Place Station will re-open, and the east end of the platform will close, as station reconstruction, part of the LIRR Expansion Project, continues to progress. The staircase to the westbound platform at Cherry Lane will re-open as well.  MTA

 

The 3rd Track Project: The replacement for Mainline Trains to Ronkonkoma trains due to 3rd Track Project closures. They run bi-hourly, running NY Penn Station to Babylon (eastbound) or Ronkonkoma to Bethpage Interlocking (westbound), reverse up/down the Central Branch, and reverse again to continue on to their destination. The route they take is the shape of an inverted Z.

Z trains in LIRR's case are double ended diesel trains run from from either Penn Station or Jamaica to Ronkonkoma via Babylon (Montauk Line) and the Central Branch. The purpose of these trains is to provide Main Line sevice to Ronkonkoma while the Main Line is shut down between Floral Park & Hicksville for Third Track work.

In the ETT (Employee Timetable): On the LIRR a Z train is basically a train added for reasons such as a holiday, early release program, etc. It's an indication to the employee to look in the back of the timetable to see when it runs, as it would be on certain dates only. A big deal when manual block was more prevalent, especially on the extra Sunday trains that ran west out of Montauk. Not sure when this system was started but it's been there since at least the '90s.

In the employee timetable, a train schedule that has a "Z" in the notes section, would indicate the train doesn't run everyday. It can be once a week, or summer only, etc..
Take the Cannonball train 2798, for instance. In the timetable, there would be a "Z" in the notes to reference the dates of service for that train. When you flip to that page it would say "Will run Fridays May 30th - September 2nd" as an example.