New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that the new track laying between Central Islip and Ronkonkoma for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) double track project has been completed. The entire double track, which runs from Farmingdale to Ronkonkoma, is on schedule to open in 2018.
The double track project marks the MTA's first use of the New Track Construction machine, which is capable of laying one mile of track per day. This is more than ten times faster than the 500 feet of track per day that the MTA manually laid previously. Use of the machine reduces the cost of laying Phase I's 3.5 miles of track from more than $3.6 million to $1.2 million, saving approximately $2.4 million.
The machine is pulled from the front end by a bulldozer along the route of the new track, and automatically handles the flow of materials, negating the use of overhead cranes for track construction. The machine is also able to bring in supplies by rail. The MTA plans to use the machine in future projects in response to the Governor's challenge to increase efficiency in its projects.
In concert with the proposed Main Line Expansion Project, which would add a third track to the heavily utilized segment between Floral Park and Hicksville, the construction of the Double Track between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma will support Long Island-wide resiliency by enabling the LIRR to provide better Main Line Service options in conditions where either the Montauk Branch or Port Jefferson Branch is compromised because of severe weather.
MTA is also moving forward with other projects that will help improve railroad operations, including the Jamaica Capacity Improvement Project, which streamlines the Jamaica track layout and modernizes the switch and signal system; the expansion of the train storage yard in Ronkonkoma; and the addition of pocket tracks along the Port Washington and Babylon Branches.