LIRR to Resume Full Rush Hour Service Monday

Long Island Rail Road

The Long Island Rail Road will operate full morning and evening rush hour service on Monday, a result of Amtrak restoring signal system capacity in one of its two Hurricane Sandy-damaged East River tunnels, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday.

Signal system in one of the tunnels was severely damaged due to flooding spawned by Sandy, disrupting rush hour service for six weeks.

Amtrak is also continuing to replace the damaged signal system in the other remaining tunnel to restore full train capacity to the East River tunnels, the governor said in a news release.

“Restoring full LIRR rush hour train service will provide relief to those customers that endured crowded conditions during peak periods due to the loss of tunnel capacity from the flooding effects of Superstorm Sandy,” Cuomo said.

Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota acknowledged the efforts of Amtrak to “expedite the tunnel work” and LIRR employees who “toiled round the clock” to restore service.

Said LIRR President Helena Williams: “I appreciate the patience of our customers during this vital restoration work after the devastation of,” the superstorm.

The railroad’s off-peak service will continue to operate on a normal schedule, officials said.