East End Service (Greenport and Montauk)

[lilbluefoxie]

How come theres only two or 3 trains a day going down towards Greenport and about the same towards Montauk (I am aware that babylon to patchogue service is more frequent) It would seem a good idea if they promoted it to get better east end service especially in summer so people dont have to drive all teh way out to the hamptons or montauk or the north fork. Taking the train to Greenport seems like a risky thing because you can get screwed if you miss the train.

[Zman]

There isn't a big demand because of the length of the trip between the East End and NYC; not too many people want to have a 3 hour commute each way.

 

And Greenport service only exists because, IIRC, that one of the still in-effect stipulations made in the late 19th Century when the LIRR was created is that passenger service must be maintained on the line or they'll forfeit property and operating rights on the Ronkonkoma branch to Suffolk County. So the Ronkonkoma branch runs as a moneymaker for the LIRR and they throw a couple of trains a day on the Greenport Scoot to satisfy the requirement.

[Amtrak7]

For the Greenport branch, I truly think demand exists. Many people who live in the areas served by the branch drive to the Montauk Branch. What has to be done is make the trip faster. It takes roughly the same time to go from Greenport to KO as it does to go from KO to NYP.

 

Why? Here are the speed limits:

 

20-Passing through KO Yard

45-All the way to abandonned station Manorville (Reynor Rd.)

40-Until just outside Riverhead

20-Through Riverhead and all its grade crossings

40-To just outside Greenport

5-To end of line (could any engineer confirm this, as all YT videos show trains moving through Greenport at roughly 5 MPH, and some people have said it.)

 

Compare with the Montauk Branch:

 

65- Outside Patchouge-3 miles outside Montauk

40- To end of line.

 

As you can see, the Greenport Branch is losing a competition against inexpensive, frequent, and sometimes faster busses and cars.

[Far Rock Depot]

lets not forget to also mention that most of those parts only have a single track.

[Amtrak7]

Well, ALL east-end diesel service is mostly single-track.

 

However, track capacity isn't a problem since we haven't reached its limit. Looking at the sim here:

 

http://www.trainlogic.net/sim_lirr.htm

 

Trains to Greenport almost never use passing sidings. Each run finishes before the next one starts in either direction.

 

One capacity improvement I feel is needed on the Montauk is signals out to the end of line.

[Zman]

For the Greenport branch, I truly think demand exists. Many people who live in the areas served by the branch drive to the Montauk Branch. What has to be done is make the trip faster. It takes roughly the same time to go from Greenport to KO as it does to go from KO to NYP.

 

Really? I would think that not only would it be faster to drive to Ronkonkoma, but they'll get a lot more frequent service for a cheaper monthly ticket.

[Amtrak7]

Some do if its close enough. Keep in mind 'frequent' is relative. If you have 2 trains a day, then 4 trains a day is frequent. On the other side of the spectrum, if you have hourly service, then half-hourly service is frequent.

[lilbluefoxie]

I was thinking it could serve Long Islanders going east, like with that splish splash package or have one for tanger outlets, have bi-hourly service on the Greenport branch and you got a great alternative to driving on the LIE all that way.

 

Same for the Montauk Branch, perhaps an hourly shuttle that is timed with Trains arriving at Patchogue and take the traffic off the crowded Sunrise Highway down there.

[Forest Glen]

Bi-hourly service to Greenport? Hell will freeze over before that happens

[lilbluefoxie]

Maybe not all teh way out there but at least to Riverhead, has the MTA looked into how many people living in Medford and Yaphank and Riverhead take the train in, who may have to drive to Ronkonkoma or some station on the Montauk or Port Jeff lines because their stations have like no trains going there.