Railroad Forums 

  • Question About Montauk Trains

  • Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.
Discussion of the past and present operations of the Long Island Rail Road.

Moderator: Liquidcamphor

 #1495855  by Riverduckexpress
 
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.
 #1495862  by MACTRAXX
 
DB and RDE: True-Any Montauk Branch train to east of Babylon that does not stop at either
Mineola or Hicksville can travel by way of either route to Babylon. Trains can make better time
on the electrified segment to Babylon than they could over the Main Line/Central Branch taking
note to the Third Track Project work in which trains can encounter delays due to single track
use on parts of the route during construction work. MACTRAXX
 #1495913  by njtmnrrbuff
 
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.
 #1495999  by Backshophoss
 
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)
 #1496598  by Patch Hog
 
Some Montauk trains take the Main Line even if they don't stop at Hicksville or Mineola but 8710 runs on the Babylon branch.
Attachments:
8710 - timetable via south shore
8710 - timetable via south shore
IMG_0887.jpg (798.85 KiB) Viewed 5555 times
 #1518864  by Train2009
 
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.