‘Summer of Hell,’ so far a yawn locally

Long Island Rail Road riders recently went through the first week in the long-dreaded “Summer of Hell,” but some would tell you that the hysteria — so far, at least — is all for naught.

“I had no problems,” said Stephanie Zeitlin, of East Meadow. “The trains I took came in on time. I got to work on time. It was just like any other day.”

Zeitlin spoke to the Herald at the Bellmore station as she waited for an 8:39 a.m. train to Penn Station, which came on time.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo coined the phrase “Summer of Hell” in advance of long-overdue repair work to tracks at Penn Station in New York City, which were expected to cause delays above and beyond what commuters on the beleaguered railroad have already experienced this year.

Starting on July 10 and projected to continue through September, the work includes replacing worn-out tracks and switches in what’s referred to as the A-interlocking, Amtrak representatives said.

In a news release before the construction, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Penn Station Task Force outlined their plan to cope with possible travel delays. The plan includes adding three rush-hour trains, 36 additional cars to Penn-bound trains, a new bus and ferry network, free subway transfers for LIRR monthly and weekly ticketholders, and half-price tools for trucks driving overnight.

When asked about their first couple days of the Summer of Hell, Dave Totten, 36, and Greg Kebreau, 37, both of East Meadow, said they have not experienced any inconveniences either. The two commuters were waiting for the 8:13 a.m. train to Penn Station, which arrived on time.

“So far I haven’t really been impacted by it,” Kebreau said.

Totten, however, voiced his concerns, saying, “When something does go wrong, it will be an absolute nightmare … The MTA never really goes into detail, but I am anticipating that something will go wrong.”

“I’ve been unaffected,” said Vanessa Confessore, 31, of Bellmore. “I usually take the 7:29, and I’ve been staying late at my office to avoid rush-hour trains.” She added that her co-workers who followed a different schedule than her did not experience any difficulties either.

Despite the overall lack of drama for many commuters on Day One, local elected leaders seized the opportunity to rail against Amtrak and connect with residents. State Sen. John Brooks was at the Seaford station early on July 10, meeting with commuters and railroad employees, reminding them that they “are not alone.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Baldwin Legislator Laura Curran, who is running for county executive, rode the train from Hicksville to Jamaica to highlight the need for the third track.

On July 11, the State Senate voted to add a third track to the LIRR. The 9.8-mile track corridor from Floral Park to Hicksville will receive $1.95 billion in public funding.

“Long Islanders deserve to have safe and reliable train services that enhance their commute, lives and neighborhoods,” Brooks said in response to the decision to move ahead with the project.