When it comes to Long Island Rail Road problems, the buck stops on Gov. Cuomo’s desk. “LIRR lateness worst in 18 years: state” (Janelle Clausen – March 23).
At the end of World War Two, there began a decline of our LIRR with a corresponding loss of farebox revenues.
The Pennsylvania Railroad began to reduce financial support as well. This played a part in the LIRR going into receivership in 1949. In recognition of the role the LIRR played in the economy of both Long Island and New York City, New York State began providing financial assistance to the LIRR in the 1950s and 1960s.
The “Line of the Dashing Dan” was officially chartered on April 24, 1965 by the State of New York. Prior to 1965, the LIRR derived almost 100% of its funding for both capital and operating expenses from fares.
Chartered by the State Legislature in 1965 as the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority, it was created to purchase and operate the bankrupt LIRR.
In 1966, New York State bought the railroad’s controlling stock from the Pennsylvania Rail Road and put it under the newly formed Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority.
The MCTA changed its name to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968 when it took over operations of the NYC Transit Authority.
With MTA subsidies, the LIRR modernized further and grew into the busiest commuter railroad in the United States.
Over the past 54 years, several billion dollars in combined county, city, state and federal taxpayers generated dollars have subsidized both the capital and operating costs for the LIRR.
The findings within state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s audit of LIRR on-time performance problems are even worse than he reports.
The numbers are rigged. Any train arriving within 100 feet of a Penn Station Platform within 5 minutes and 59 seconds is considered “on time”.
For many LIRR commuters who have to arrive at work on time without being late 6 minutes or more, I doubt their boss would be happy.
The LIRR definition of “On Time” is just like a teacher giving students a passing grade by rigging the results.
When it comes to riders reaching their destination according to what is promised in published LIRR timetables, the 1960’s LIRR motto “Line of the Dashing Dan” in 2018 might have to be changed to “Line of the Slow Moving Sloth.”
Larry Penner
Great Neck
(Larry Penner is a transportation historians and advocate who previously worked 31 years for the US Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 NY Office.).
