(The following story by Jennifer Maloney appeared on the Newsday website on June 11.)
NEW YORK — They want smaller platform gaps and shorter waits, bigger parking lots and faster e-mail alerts.
Riders of the Long Island Rail Road have requests for Helena Williams.
Williams, who takes the helm of the LIRR next Monday, has said she would focus on safety, security and reliability of service, and will be laying the groundwork to meet future transportation needs.
In recent interviews, many Long Islanders said they want those things – and much, much more.
“She needs to mind the gap,” said Brookhaven Town Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld. “Whether it’s the gap between the train and the platform, or it’s the gap in the expectation of when the trains will arrive … [or] a gap in the expectation of the amount of noise they’re making through our communities.”
Residents, civic leaders and elected officials contributed to a laundry list of contenders for Williams’ list of top priorities. Among them: clearing trash from the right-of-way, fixing up neglected stations, increasing reverse-commute service and muffling sharp train horn blasts.
And, by the way, riders don’t want fares to rise.
“We pay too much to wind up standing on the trains, morning or evening,” said Brian Watson, 50, who commutes from Merrick to Manhattan.
Barry Parker, a commuter from Oyster Bay, suggested that Williams ride the trains every day – “just sit there through the good and the bad, so she can experience what the riders experience.”
Long Islanders who live near the tracks – and whose communities will be affected as construction projects move forward – also want her ear.
“It’s a tough spot she’s in, isn’t it?” said Mineola Village Mayor Jack Martins, who opposes the LIRR’s proposal to build a third track on its main line.
“I think the number one priority for the new president should be to reach out to the Long Island community.”
Many cited safety as a concern, including grade crossings, which are one of the top causes of railroad deaths nationwide.
As railroad service increases, “you’re going to make a dangerous crossing even more dangerous,” said Laura Schultz, vice president of Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset.
Others see the railroad as a solution for vexing traffic problems on the East End.
“The situation out there is hair raising,” said Chris Bodkin, an Islip town councilman. “Those people could be put on trains and kept off the roads.”
Ask just about anyone who rides the rails, and they will complain about one of two things: parking and communication.
Sure, they concede, it’s not easy to find space to put cars, but issuing e-mail alerts and on-board announcements?
“It’s not rocket science,” said Gerry Bringmann, chairman of the railroad’s commuter council.
What should the new Long Island Rail Road president’s priority be?
“Sometimes you don’t see any security, no police, nobody – especially at night.”
– Mariza Belaez, 31, of East New York
“The kids drinking on the trains, they get rowdy. They need to stop the drinking on the trains.”
– Debra Cordaro, 50, a waitress from Deer Park
“I want more trains. Sometimes I wait one hour for one train. And the price is a little bit expensive.”
– Taku Yamamoto, 20, a language student from Westbury
“It gets crowded during rush hour. Definitely more trains during rush hour.”
– Adeeb Huq, 22, of Astoria, an investment banker
“They have these padlocked waiting rooms with all these benches in there. That’s why I’m leaning on a trash can. I want something to sit on. ”
– Pat Langenbach, 72, of Kearny, N.J., a retired manicurist
“Physical improvement of stations, for instance, Far Rockaway. There are no electronic displays. The ticket booth is closed almost year round.”
– Herbert Fair, 28 of Far Rockaway, an archivist for the Town of Huntington
“Keeping people on the train quiet. No cell phones should be allowed. I leave at 4:30 a.m. every day and I plan that hour on the train as sleep time.”
– Rick Klarish, 62, a carpenter from Babylon
“More trains at nighttime and on weekends. After 1 a.m., it’s impossible. I’ve had to sleep here [Jamaica station].”
– Fernando Tola, 25, of Jackson Heights
“The gaps between the trains and the platform. I know they’re working on it, but when is it going to be fixed?”
– Lisa Mills, 33, nurse’s aide from Bay Shore
(Interviews by staff writers Sophia Chang and Jennifer Maloney)