Ronkonkoma Branch


The Ronkonkoma Branch is a rail service operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. On LIRR maps and printed schedules, the "Ronkonkoma Branch" includes trains running along the railroad's Main Line from Hicksville to Ronkonkoma, and between Ronkonkoma and the Main Line's eastern's terminus at Greenport. The section of the Main Line east of Ronkonkoma is not electrified and is referred to as the Greenport Branch.
The western segment between Hicksville and Ronkonkoma sees 24-hour service to Penn Station in New York City. The eastern segment between Ronkonkoma and Greenport is served by diesel-electric trains, and only sees a handful of trips each day. The eastern segment is also one of the few dark territory areas of the Long Island Rail Road that does not have signals.

Segments

Hicksville to Ronkonkoma

The western segment of the line from Hicksville to Ronkonkoma was electrified in 1987, creating a one-seat ride to Penn Station. Formerly, service on this segment was provided by diesel trains, which could not enter Penn Station, requiring a transfer. Average rush-hour trip time from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station decreased from 97 minutes pre-electrification to 71 minutes afterwards.
The $168.5 million project attracted many new passengers. A survey of peak-hour Ronkonkoma Branch passengers conducted by the LIRR in April 1988 found that 42 percent of the branch's passengers were new to the line: 34 percent switched from other lines, 6 percent were new to the LIRR as a whole and 2 percent recently returned to the LIRR. By September 1988, over 2,000 new riders during the morning rush hour had switched to the Ronkonkoma Branch, much of which occurred in the first month after electrification, faster than the LIRR expected. Commuters complained that the expanded parking facilities at Ronkonkoma built in anticipation of electrification were overcrowded and already inadequate, and that double-parking and vandalism were rampant.
In the decades since, the amount of parking at Ronkonkoma has expanded. In 2012, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority started adding a second track to the line between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma to increase capacity. The project was ultimately completed in 2018.

Greenport Branch

The between and, known as the Greenport Branch, is one of the few dark territory areas on the Long Island Rail Road that does not have signals. The relatively small amount of train movements on this segment are governed by train orders and timetable authority. This segment is served by diesel-electric "scoots", most of which terminate at Ronkonkoma, requiring customers traveling west of Ronkonkoma to transfer there. Three eastbound and four westbound scoots travel each weekday between Ronkonkoma and Greenport. Also, one eastbound train each weekday runs as far as. Weekend service consists of four round-trips each day between Ronkonkoma and Greenport. On Fridays during the summer, the eastbound trip to Yaphank is extended to Greenport, and one additional evening trip runs from Greenport to, running express between Ronkonkoma and Jamaica. Added in summer 2016, this is the only Greenport scoot trip to serve the New York City terminals.
The LIRR has tried to discontinue service east of Ronkonkoma on several occasions, citing minimal service due to low ridership. In 2010, the idea was entertained by the financially troubled MTA, who proposed eliminating all scoot service except for the popular summer weekend service. Ultimately, weekday service remained, but weekend service outside of the summer season was discontinued. In 2013, the span of weekend service was extended to operate from early May to late November. In 2016, the LIRR restored year-long weekend service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport.

Central Branch

Some LIRR maps also include as part of the Ronkonkoma Branch the non-electrified Central Branch, which splits from the Ronkonkoma Branch east of Bethpage and connects with the more southern Montauk Branch, just west of Babylon. There are no stations along this stretch, and it is mainly used by trains with diesel-electric engines going express from Jamaica to Babylon. No trains using this track appear on Ronkonkoma Branch schedules; they appear on Montauk Branch and Babylon Branch schedules, and some appear on schedules for Mineola and Hicksville on the Main Line, if a stop is scheduled there.

History and current projects

Greenport enhancements

Despite proposing to eliminate most service east of Ronkonkoma, the MTA is enhancing the segment's infrastructure. The LIRR is required to install a positive train control signaling system on all its trackage by the end of 2018. The MTA initially budgeted $29 million in its 2015-2019 capital program to add signals along the 10 mile segment from Ronkonkoma to Yaphank. This upgrade would install signals, track circuits and automatic speed control. However, in a 2017 amendment of the capital program, the agency postponed the construction of the new signal system, only including $2 million to fund design. After positive train control was activated on the easternmost portion of the Montauk Branch in November 2017, the Greenport Branch became the only portion of the LIRR that lacked positive train control.
In its 2015-2034 20-Year Capital Needs Assessment, the MTA describes extending electrification eastward from Ronkonkoma to Yaphank or Riverhead, as well as the addition of a second track between Ronkonkoma and Yaphank as long-term needs. However, the MTA cites the high cost of electrification and other components as a barrier to present-day action. If electrification were to be extended eastward, stations would also need upgrading, since all station platforms east of Ronkonkoma are only long enough to fit one train car.

Stations

West of, most trips go on to terminate at, though some terminate at.
ZoneLocationStationMiles
from NYP		Date
opened		Date
closed		Connections and notes
4Mineola 1837Long Island Rail Road: Montauk, Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay branches
Nassau Inter-County Express:
Originally named Hempstead, then Branch or Hempstead Branch
7Hicksville 1837Long Island Rail Road: Port Jefferson and Montauk branches
Nassau Inter-County Express:
7Bethpage-----
7Bethpage19421985
7Bethpage c. 1854Originally named Jerusalem, then Central Park
7BethpageBethpage Junction1873
7Farmingdale 1841Nassau Inter-County Express:
9Farmingdale-----
9Farmingdale19401987
9East Farmingdale
c. 1890Suffolk County Transit:
Originally named Melville
9Wyandanch 1875Suffolk County Transit:
Originally named West Deer Park, then Wyandance
9Baywood-----
9Baywood18921914
9Baywood 1842Suffolk County Transit:
Tanger Shuttle Bus
9Brentwood-----
9Brentwood18421869
9Brentwood19151986
10Brentwood 1870Suffolk County Transit:
Originally named Modern Times
10Central Islip-----
10Central Islip18421873
10Central Islip 1873Suffolk County Transit:
10Islandia
10Ronkonkoma-----
10Ronkonkoma18431883Originally named Lake Road
10Ronkonkoma 1883Suffolk County Transit:
Terminus of electrification, originally named Lake Ronkonkoma
10Ronkonkoma1850
10Holbrook19071962
10Holtsville18431998Originally named Waverly
10Medford 1844Suffolk County Transit:
10Yaphank-----
10Yaphank1844Originally Bellport
10Yaphank18441845
12Yaphank 1844TBDOriginally named Milleville, planned to be replaced by East Yaphank
12East YaphankTBDPlanned replacement for Yaphank
12East Yaphank18441845
12Upton19181922
12Upton19171922
12Manorvillec. 1847–1848
12Manorville1844c. 1968Originally named St. George's Manor, then Manor
12Calverton1852
1880		1858
c. 1958		Originally named Hulse Turnout, then Baiting Hollow
14Riverhead 1844Suffolk County Transit:
14Aquebogue18921967
14Jamesport18441985
14Laurel19011967
14Mattituck 1845Suffolk County Transit:
14Cutchogue18441962
14Peconic1844c. 1970Originally named Hermitage
14Southold 1844Suffolk County Transit:
14Greenport 1844Suffolk County Transit:
North Ferry