It was the thirty-seventh minutes waiting for the train to arrive at Cold Spring Harbor, before a third of commuters started to take the defeating walk back to their cars. The fourth consecutive train was canceled because of weather conditions, and the fifth one wasn’t anywhere near the station. The train delays and cancelations have been steadily increasing, along with their prices. Monthly train passes have gone up almost fifteen dollars, that’s 180 dollar more per year, per commuter. It has not been a secret that a ride on the Long Island Rail Road is expensive, but the problems arise with the nuisance of train errors.
Jeannette of Syosset (who asked that her last name not be used) has had more than her fair share of problems with the trains this winter. She said: “It has been an absolute nightmare. I hate commuting, (the train) is one of the biggest aggravations in my life…on the days it is delayed, or worse one doesn’t even show up. Me and my husband both commute for work so we have no other choice, but the main problem I have is if your going to charge us these ridiculous prices at least give us the service we deserve.”
Many people share the same views as Jeannette; and this became blatantly clear when a train, running from Penn Station to Cold Spring Harbor, got stuck for an hour and 27 minutes. It was towed to Jamaica Station, and then everyone aboard the train had to switch tracks and board another train, but not before waiting 23 minutes for it to arrive. Trains are not only late, breaking down or being canceled, but now sometimes they just don’t show up, even when the signs at the station states that a train is “on-time.” This is a huge imposition, especially for people who rely on this type of travel. You try to take the train to cut down on pollutants from car fuel, and bridge tolls, but then you run the risk of not making it to work at all. Some people carpool to the train together, to cut down on the parking fees.
A conductor, who wishes to remain nameless, said that in all his twelve years of working for the LIRR, this year has had the worst delays: “We do not want delays or cancelations anymore than you do. It is difficult to predict the problems that come along with winter weather. We try our hardest to get our customers to and from in a safe and timely manner. But whatever you do, know that is not a picnic for us either.” This winter’s railroad commute has certainly been no picnic.