![Long Island Rail 1](https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/300/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=49651c85e3de9e9460b40bd0fead92b65d5d8d315b3fc830ae1ec6804370f42b 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/600/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=e6f1f8e99656d47756b0be9a12b79f64bd7abdda9578c340816e4a4ad55f38e0 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/900/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=067f6b163bb55a7bc634f6ac9341e23a7c233bc4f3a8f1a522c99b8fff09afca 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1200/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=dc245f322cf77ec830233d5a4adeb57e369a50f99d9cce89fd10e4a19619d65a 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1500/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=058d53067174030abd5592aaa678d7662c695fef610b40f494312a22c63ecc20 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1800/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=e1b7f679bc62b6e37af69b8a5886725d679101810870caea830a4ebf83b45d05 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2100/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=7afeeae9aae11febebd5def1a33832396e5fe6ba7307af921d177d28630ee5ef 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2400/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=1fb29f7a085e417602db21c3fe0452e1fabd49419f523736315b277cf3d77636 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2700/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_1.jpg?bossToken=93beff66f05f6135274bed9cb5925a5e657ee240a7561d24b37e59b6de2b186f 1543w)
This prospect argues for a gradual reorientation of LIRR operations to serve more of Long Island’s internal needs.
![Long Island Rail 2](https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/300/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=979355dc6c85545b7be07da95c9611e564109a5cd1bf30011deed42c9b24bdf3 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/600/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=0262b75a5edb9af87746805f62dc06b3b99081318da8388c270d06e745ec6f13 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/900/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=f0a0f74100925b8fbd600d52e3195fff4b6317393c5facdd179b0e55e3994014 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1200/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=57090cdaaf67c82c87b5e71fa16f16580b977fd2f89a134c005b4e648f618080 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1500/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=81c18c67695b464dd5f27cbf60daf191ba2a02416be87b1806b81b89991af5ca 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1800/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=0de89b8fecc3e08c2567c0104601e92ab227e64d6b4260515e6522911bc42015 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2100/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=c8d1cc1a6ac00bbcb3f3cd926124425d05baf1b893acbc12df795fbb974d8264 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2400/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=25fac8d82a9afc04fedb65cbfdf2698588953c240887c6598970a8fc5b59e23c 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2700/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_2.jpg?bossToken=bf1f7e28d5ed6e8a60eb05dbc3fc7eaad527f37ab4773d245b40f92ef673ea01 1543w)
With the electrification extensions that are already committed, the electrified part of the LIRR has the potential to be a 150-mile, high-speed transit system for a metropolitan area of 4.5 million-exclusive of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
There are three related reasons why the Rail Road does not fulfill that function:
- Service patterns. In terms of service density, the electrified part of the LIRR exceeds four of the nation’s rapid transit systems and is comparable to Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in the San Francisco area. Yet no rapid transit in the world offers off-peak service as infrequently as every hour or half-hour. The electric cars and power supply of the LIRR are designed for fast acceleration which is needed when stops are frequent-but that capability is not being used because of the emphasis on long hauls into Manhattan.
- Crew requirements. The LIRR has to employ 19 operating personnel to keep one train running for an average of seven hours during the day. The PATCO rapid transit system in southern New Jersey employs only 4.5 to keep a train running for 12 hours. While one-man crews such as on PATCO may not be feasible on long LlRR trains, cutting operating crews in half would reduce total Labor requirement by 15 percent and operating expenses by 12 percent. Each time an LIRR passenger boards a train, it costs $1 to have his ticket checked. There is also room for substantial productivity improvements in the maintenance of cars.
- Labor Costs. Wages, benefits and pensions on the LIRR averaged $42,144 per worker in 1981, about 27 percent more than on former Conrail lines and 32 percent more than on Transit Authority (TA) subways. Output, measured in passenger miles per worker, was only 18 percent greater than on the subways. From 1981 to 1983, LIRR labor cost per worker rose by 16.9 percent, while general inflation was only 11.9 percent. If the escalation of labor costs and the labor needs for train operation are not reduced in the future, it will not be possible to maintain competitive fares or shift to more transit-like operations.
![Long Island Rail 3](https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/300/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=7150bd2c7dc08da8338cac96b56ec7275198833c1fde2d32e9f35ca5066b10ed 171w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/600/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=33ea7b60ebacd90136a8330437b32dcb4f2aa161d90886074ea84837eb98eff5 343w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/900/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=c6494b158b8ceace74c45c8102180975deb6f3d5f857f1d1a7cb47f3bbb22aa3 514w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1200/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=e9c081df8230b3c27cbac2fef9931bde0e466171061263b7c0e043abbe273a1c 686w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1500/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=c102b8ce6cf998c243040f9b0b74857a1af969a5db30c982a16f3e4e16b38a5b 857w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/1800/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=8ae72eb3e05526bd2e92a8363ba83249bbd34f05eef5e9f9e6b0c5c79f201f90 1029w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2100/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=bac607eaa100c3f42b4784bdc8163c3a71b3f43e8658d866f6f2373212add1b1 1200w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2400/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=63b4b46836d5db13a9f7b6997550eab8e42dbfcb37624cfe26a072191c463efe 1371w, https://img.imageboss.me/general/width/2700/quality:80/work/Unsorted-Report-Images/LongIslandRail_3.jpg?bossToken=00dfd28dadc1d626160498d53c614808d7c05b84896f13585f04950694451659 1543w)
Funded By
- New York Community Trust
- Long Island Community Foundation
- Action Committee for Long Island
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