I've heard conflicting info about the plans for this off season. Either way though, the signals between Montauk and Speonk won't go live for another few years. But, the two rumors I heard were: 1) that the signals, including masts and the signals themselves, and powered switch machines, will be installed before the beginning of next summer. Or 2) that the signals were only ordered, and might not be installed until sometime mid to late 2014. The summer of 2012 saw work being done at Hampton Bay's (ND) and Southampton (SN) in which the trenches and conduits were put in for the cables, and some of the bases for the signals were installed. Back in 08, the same cables that were layed from Patchogue to Speonk were installed along the main track from Speonk to Montauk. Hopefully the first suggested rumor doesn't come true. That way we will have at least one more summer to video and photograph regular LIRR passenger trains meet at sidings with hand thrown switches, with no modern signals visible. The meets will still happen at SN next summer, but if the 1st rumor comes true, those videos and pictures will have the dark modern signals visible.
Frank wrote:I went past Speonk today and noticed some trucks and equipment there. Is this in anyway related to the upcoming signal project?
Speonk is a major facility for the LIRR, so there are usually a lot of railroad trucks there.