LIRR reroutes some trains from Grand Central Madison to Penn Station in response to overcrowding
NEW YORK -- There are more service changes Monday on the Long Island Rail Road. Some trains will be rerouted to Penn Station after the chaotic rollout of service to Grand Central Madison.
The MTA said it heard riders' complaints and they're trying to fix the problems. For instance, three peak trains now begin or end at Penn instead of Grand Central.
The morning rush Monday at Penn Station looked the same as commuters dashed up the stairs. But there was some relief for them: more trains.
Grand Central Madison, the new East Side terminal, has been operating for about a month, but some trains are being rerouted to Penn Station due to demand.
Starting Monday, the 5:42 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma and the 7:54 a.m. train from Long Beach go to Penn Station instead of Grand Central Madison.
For reverse commuters, the 7:31 a.m. train to Hempstead leaves at 7:30 a.m. from Penn Station instead of Grand Central Madison.
In the evening, the 5:28 p.m. train to Babylon leaves at the same time, but originates from Penn Station instead of Grand Central Madison.
Interim LIRR President Catherine Rinaldi called the schedule problems so far "red flags."
"There's crowding on trains to Penn, caused by higher than expected ridership as people are accustoming themselves to the new schedule," said Rinaldi.
Commuters told CBS2 they're cautiously optimistic about the changes.
"It's a start, yeah, I think it's a change for the best. Maybe the trains won't be as crowded," said Joseph Magazzu, from North Babylon.
"I think that's perfect. I mean, it's what they should do. So many times people have complaints, no one does anything about it. I actually think they are listening to the people," said Lisa Mastando.
Other riders said they hope the latest changes are temporary and that more commuters eventually use the new terminal.
"People are creatures of habit and I think that once people understand what it is, what the schedules are, and they're finalized, they'll be here," said Chris Gallic, from Garden City.
"I think as you see more people come to the offices on the East Side, I think this location will get more popular," said Mike Marra, from New Hyde Park.
Some commuters said more needs to be done.
"My train was still crowded," said Lisa Henriquez, who commutes from Freeport five days a week. "It's a mess and we are paying a lot of money for this."
Henriquez said the latest changes left her with fewer options to get to work.
"We don't have any express trains anymore. I went from three trains to get me to work on time to one," she said.
Additionally, starting Monday, eight peak trains that only ran to Brentwood will now make stops at Central Islip and Ronkonkoma to provide more options at busy stations.
The MTA said it will continue to make adjustments where possible. So, even more changes may be coming.
