NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The MTA will be proactively suspending service on its railroads with Hurricane Henri intensifying as it approaches the state.
Changes to Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North service come as outgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo issues a State of Emergency for parts of New York, warning of a Hurricane Sandy-level impact for the region.
The Category 1 storm is expected to first reach land around Suffolk county on Sunday morning around 7 a.m., bringing winds up to 80 mph and gusts upwards of 105 mph. The state is bracing for a 26-hour storm event, with Henri expected to travel up the Hudson area to the Capital District, according to Cuomo.
Transit officials are urging riders to avoid unnecessary trips if possible and to check for updates on the MTA’s TrainTime app.
“We strongly advise customers avoid unnecessary travel if possible,” said LIRR President Phil Eng. “Our workforce will be out working to enable us to restore service on the east end once it is safe to do so.”
LIRR
The LIRR will suspend service east of Patchogue on the Montauk Branch or on the Greenport line on Sunday, August 22.
The last westbound train will depart Greenport at 9:03 p.m. Saturday night. The last westbound train departing Montauk is the 7:37 p.m. and the final westbound train from Speonk will depart at 11:57 p.m., according to the MTA.
Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North will be suspending service on the Wassaic Branch of the Harlem Line and on the entire New Haven Line, including the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches, according to the MTA.
Service will operate every two hours on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, and there will be no buses on the Waterbury branch.
For Metro-North’s Wassaic Branch riders, the last train to Wassaic will depart Grand Central at 12:10 a.m. and run express to Southeast, connecting with the 1:52 a.m. shuttle to Tenmile River, where it arrives at 2:25 a.m. on Sunday, August 22.
The last train to depart Wassaic will be the 10:15 p.m. shuttle to Southeast, which connects with the 11:10 p.m. express to Grand Central, where it is scheduled to arrive at 12:52 a.m.
On the New Haven Line, the last two trains to depart Grand Central Terminal will be the 1:47 a.m. express train to New Haven, which is scheduled to arrive at 4:09 a.m. on Sunday, and the 1:53 a.m. local train to Stamford, which is scheduled to arrive at 3:14 a.m.
The last train to depart New Haven will be 11:35 p.m., which arrives at Grand Central at 1:46 a.m. The last train to depart Stamford with be the 12:58 a.m. local train providing connections from the New Haven train, and will arrive at Grand Central at 2:13 a.m. on Sunday, August 21.