Question About Montauk Trains

Which way does train 8710 go when heading east from Jamaica? Does it go via the main line/Hicksville, or does it go via the Babylon line? I'm just curious to find out which way it will go to find out what I'll see when I go for a ride at the end of the month.

I haven't taken that specific train myself, so I can't answer definitively, but according to the MTA's GTFS data (which is used in apps like Google Maps or Transit) it's currently scheduled to use the Babylon/Montauk branch. No idea if that was always the case. Not directly related to your question, but I believe sometime last year the MTA rerouted 8700 (the late night weekend Jamaica to Montauk train that used to stop at Hicksville) from the Main Line onto the Babylon/Montauk branch due to prospective construction on the future third track, so I would assume that any and all weekend Montauk Branch trains that normally run/ran on the Main Line and Central Branch could be liable to be rerouted via the Babylon/Montauk branch.

Unless if a Montauk Line train has any of the Main Line stops on the schedule, I think the dispatcher probably prefers to have them run by way of the Babylon Line-no grade crossings and constant 80 mph running. Even when the third track on the Main Line is in service, LIRR trains heading to Montauk by way of the Main Line and Central branch would still have to play around with the grade crossings out there. There are many of them.

On any given day it's a 50/50 chance for either route to Babylon unless there's single tracking on the Main line or on the (middle)Montauk branch,
which can force a move on the other route to avoid delay.
Believe the LIRR will keep both Main lines open during the AM/PM Rush Hours while the 3rd main line is constructed.
But on Weekends with trackwork in progress on both routes, the DS/204 will pick the route with the least possible delay(hopefully)

Oops, I misread the schedule. I'll most likely be taking 2706 to Montauk, and 2709 back. Neither of those trains stop at Hicksville or Minneola, so I guess it can go either way!

Some Montauk trains take the Main Line even if they don't stop at Hicksville or Mineola but 8710 runs on the Babylon branch.

Do you know about 2706 or 2709? The online schedule doesn't give me any clues.

2706 and 2709 both operate on the Babylon branch.

This morning Train #8706, this afternoon trains 8710,8703 and 8736 were seen going by Queens Village as I spotted them as they were running via Main Line/Central Branch.