Port Washington Commuters: Mixed on LIRR Delays

According to a recent article in the New York Times, commuter rail trains arriving to and from Penn Station are two-and-a-half times more likely to be late during rush hour than any other time during the day.

Train riders in Port Washington had mixed feelings about the report, with some expressing frustration and others reporting rare if any problems when taking the Long Island Rail Road from Port, whether to Penn Station, or elsewhere on the train line.

"I know the train will not get in when it says it will," said Port Washington resident Howard Berman, who uses the LIRR to commute to work. "But you just accept it." 

The New York Times looked at records from 2009 regarding the three main commuter rail lines that go to Penn Station: The New Jersey Transit, Metro North, and the LIRR. While the LIRR fared better than New Jersey Transit, which scored lowest when it came to on-time performance, 3.9 percent of trains on the Port Washington line arrive at their destination six minutes later than scheduled. 

Yet some riders were not too concerned with the study's finding. Port Washington resident Bob Thornton, waiting for a train to arrive to take him to Wednesday's Mets game, said that while he tends to use the train primarily to travel to CitiField, he typically does not encounter problems. "It doesn't bother me much. If I took it more often, I'm sure it would." His main concern with traveling by train, however, is the lack of seats.

Mary Duggan, who commutes to her job in Port Washington from Queens, also had no problems with delays, with the exception of a recent episode when trains were delayed due to a severe rain storm. "Other than that one time, I've found it fine." 

The LIRR acknowledged in a statement that service is expected to experience delays during rush hour, when more trains are coming into Penn Station, with a limited number of platforms to arrive on. "During peak rush hour periods, when we are moving more trains and more customers, our On Time Performance [OTP] can be impacted by a number of factors, including limited track space at Penn Station, which we share with Amtrak and NJ Transit," the statement said.

Salvatore Arena, the LIRR's Assistant Director of Media Relations, also noted that the LIRR's On Time Performance was 95.21 percent, an all-time high for the railroad. "The LIRR's record-setting, overall On Time Performance figure achieved last year – 95.21 percent – is the most meaningful statistic reflecting our overall annual performance. During each of the last three years, the LIRR's OTP has steadily improved."

Berman, meanwhile, questioned the LIRR's definition of "on time" as being less than six minutes late. "If you define 'on time' being five minutes and fifty-nine seconds late, I'd like to see it as it is, not sugar-coated," he said.