Third Track Articles - 2008

1/03/08 - Newsday- Editorial- It’s expensive to watch gap.

1/09/08 - Newsday.com- LIRR: Record for best on –time performance.

1/11/08 - The Illustrated News- Third Track Now Described As Passing Lane.

1/11/08 - Mineola American- Third Track For Improved Service.

1/11/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- LIRR Pres Helena Williams: Third Track Not A Freight Project.

1/13/08 - Newsday.com- More notice sought for hazardous materials freight.

1/17/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea-Report lauds progress at LIRR, but issues remain – Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee praised LIRR efforts but issues still remain- communications and diesels.

1/18/08 - Garden City Life- Carisa Giardino- LIRR President states that Third Track Not A Freight Project-“Passing Lane Theory” replaces reverse commute argument.

1/18/08 - Garden City News online- Legislation to mandate alert on hazardous rail shipments- see statements by Kemp Hannon re hazardous waste, Brookhaven Labs etc.

1/18/08 - The Illustrated News- Assemblyman Alfano spearheads notification of hazardous waste- see Senator Craig Johnson’s statement re dangerous cargo.

1/18/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- McCarthy speaks out on third track 2-page statement after 2 ½ years.

1/18/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Officials crack down on hazardous waste shipments- see Mayor Phil’s statements re the LIRR notifying NYC but not Nassau or Suffolk.

1/18/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Mayor’s Message- End of Nov 07 Mayor Phil sounded the alarm re radioactive waste transportation by LIRR- went on Ch 12 Cable News criticizing LIRR code of silence over local villages- press conference at NHP RR station- update on McCarthy Petitions.

1/18/08 - Newsday.com- Pols, Bayport residents want LIRR to halt fence project- LIRR put up 1300 feet of the planned 4000foot long fence 8-foot fence without bothering to tell Bayport Officials.

1/24/08 - Garden City Life – Senator Kemp Hannon held a news conference to announce that he and Assemblyman Tom Alfano introduced legislation mandating that the LIRR notify communities 24 hours before any shipments of hazardous cargo near their communities.

1/24/08 - Garden City Life- Congresswoman McCarthy speaks out on third track.

1/24/08 - Garden City Life-Officials crack down on hazardous waste shipments.

1/25/08 - Garden City Life- Resident concern over open gap LIRR cleanup has left along tracks.

1/29/08 - Newsday.com-High bids send MTA back to project drawing boards- A number of capital project bids came in higher than expected and will delay construction several months to a year.

1/30/08 - The Gateway-Letters to the Editor-Timothy J. Dalton- Letter to Carla Calderone opposing the LIRR Third Track Project.

1/31/08 - Garden City Life -Senator Craig Johnson critical of congestion pricing plan and to the idea of having congestion pricing funds be used to finance the third track plan.

2/6/08 - The Gateway- Letter to the Editor-Duncan Mac Donald-opposing the Third Track Plan-critical of new law mandating that LIRR notify communities 24 hrs before they send hazardous freight through their villages and he mentions 1. that communities could sue the LIRR and 2. Civil disobedience.

2/6/08 - The Gateway- Congresswoman McCarthy “Neutral” on third track proposal- Mayor Guarnieri critical of Congresswoman McCarthy’s neutral stand on third track project. He requests that she come off the sidelines and do her job.

2/8/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea-LIRR’s options for main line track work detailed. Preliminary DEIS sent to Federal Transit Administration (FTA) but was not made public.

2/8/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Mayor Guarnieri reacts to Congresswoman’s third track comments.”McCarthy has been in favor of federal funding of the MTA/LIRR Project from the beginning and has done nothing to stop the federal gravy train from earmarking funding for the third track.”

2/13/08 - Newsday.com-Steve Ritea-LIRR ridership at modern- day record last year – up 4.9% increase from 2006.

2/15/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Alfano, McKevitt blast the MTA for failure to share study (DEIS) with public.

2/15/08 - Newsday.com- LIRR rapped for “secrecy” on third track proposal

2/15/08 - The Illustrated News- MTA/LIRR submits Main Line Corridor Draft Impact Statement – Article taken directly word for word from MTA website but never acknowledged author.

2/20/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea- LIRR consultants hampered on diesel repairs-a $100,000-40 page study by Booz Allen Hamilton reveals “shoddy” record keeping understated the problem of diesel downtime and that mechanics were putting diesels back on the line without having made the repairs. LIRR Mechanical Department has been reorganized and replaced its chief. Since the records are so inadequate it is not possible to determine whether that current diesel engines can last until 2020, when they are due to be replaced.

2/21/08 - Newsday.com-Report: Staffing, Communication fueled LIRR woes last winter- Inspector General of the MTA issued report that stated that inadequate staffing levels, an unclear chain of command and communication problems contributed to massive delays on the LIRR last year.

2/21/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea- Praise for LIRR performance, but not for bathrooms- article states that the LIRR customer satisfaction survey results were largely positive except that the bathrooms were disgusting. The article failed to state who performed the study.

2/22/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea- Report faults LIRR’s emergency preparedness- MTA Inspector General Barry Kluger issued a report that criticized the LIRR, LIPA and the MTA police stating that communication problems occur in the event of sudden, large scale disruptions.

2/22/08 - Hicksville Illustrated News and four other Anton Publications ran same article- Carisa Giardino- NYS Assembly Advisory Committee on Third track Announced- A Community – driven New York State Assembly Advisory Committee on the third track plan was formed in order to ”galvanize and focus community efforts” in fighting the highly controversial mega project.

3/4/08 - Newsday.com-Matthew Sweeney- MTA unveils planned service expansion- MTA Chief Elliot Sander gave his “State of the MTA” speech- discussed subway improvements and $29.5 Billion budget

3/4/08 - Newsday.com- Steve Ritea- Federal rail agency issues first report on gap safety. Released 43 page report but gave no details.

3/7/08 - Floral Park Dispatch-Carisa Giardino- Some 10,000 Signatures Opposing LIRR Third Track Expansion Presented to Carolyn McCarthy- CARE mobilized 136 local organizations and government leaders from the 4^th Congressional district to petition McCarthy to join them in the fight vs. the $1.3 billion third track proposal. Since the LIRR will not release the DEIS until the FTA approves the document and because the project comprises so many diverse issues they are requesting 180 day period for the public hearings so ample time exists to study the DEIS and prepare for the public hearings.

3/7/08 - The Gateway- Residents Petition McCarthy to Fight Third Track-LIRR has “hired high priced public relations lobbyists to try to soft peddle this project that is not only unwanted but demonstrably unneeded.” Residents urge McCarthy to get on board vs. third track project.

3/7/08 - The Gateway- LIRR Third Track Rationale Omits Much- Mayor Phil Guarnieri- Mayor debunks Pres Helena Williams attempt to flatter Floral Park residents with a nostalgic traverse through Floral Park. He is critical of LIRR policy of keeping residents uninformed regarding the details of the third track project. Expected timing of the hearings leaves insufficient time to prepare for the public hearings.

3/7/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Mayor’s message by Phil Guarnieri- “LIRR President Killing Them With Kindness”- After years of LIRR neglect, laxity and indolence flattery will not change minds or hearts. “Behind the facade of friendliness an army of demolitionists are poised to take the village by storm.”

3/7/08 - Garden City News- Online- Residents Petition McCarthy.

3/12/08 - The Gateway –By Mayor Guarnieri – Meeting The FTA To Demand DEIS Release- see FP Dispatch article 3/14/08 below.

3/12/08 - The Gateway- Third Track Community Meeting at JLC– see FP Dispatch below.

3/14/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Third Track Advisory Hearing in Floral Park April 17- First meeting of NYS Assembly Third track Advisory Committee will take place at John Lewis Childs Elementary School auditorium on April 17^th at 7:30 pm.

3/14/08 - The Westbury Times- Main Line Community Empowerment Act Announced- Legislation allows the construction of the third track only with the approval of two-thirds of the town and village governments from the communities that the track will run through.” It is unconscionable to ask these communities to host the Third Track and shoulder the negative affects that will come with this project without having any say in the process.” Johnson said.

3/14/08 - Garden City Life- Main Line Community Empowerment Act Announced- see Westbury Times

3/14/08 - Floral Park Dispatch-Opinion- Mayor’s Message by Phil Guarnieri- Onward to the FTA-Mayor Guarnieri, Trustee Tweedy and Village Clerk Farrell met with FTA representatives to 1. Obtain a copy of DEIS 2.insist on a 180 day period to digest DEIS 3. Want public hearings held in each community prior to public hearings. 4. Insisted that FTA not “rubber stamp” the DEIS. 5. Discussed the faulty rationale for the project. The group gave the FTA some valuable and useful information on how the LIRR should proceed with third track project. FTA refused to release DEIS.

3/21/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Main Line Community Empowerment Act Announced- see Westbury Times.

3/21/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- MTA/LIRR Must Practice What It Preaches- Tom Tweedy, Chairman Third Track Task Force- Requests President Helena Williams to apologize to the 1500 residents who attended the scoping meetings in 2005 for her remarks in the March 2,2008 article when she stated that the “public forums became unruly.” “Will anyone ever forget having to walk” past the” MTA/LIRR attack dogs tethered by MTA police in jodhpurs trying to intimidate all those who dared to attend” the Floral Park Meeting.

3/25/08 - Newsday.com- Revenue Shortfall delays LIRR service improvements-Steve Ritea- Just three weeks after MTA Chief Elliot Sander promised service improvements on the LIRR, subways and other agencies, poor real estate tax revenues have temporarily shelved these proposals.

3/28/08 - The Illustrated News-(1) Meeting April 17th to Discuss LIRR Project at John Childs School by Margaret Whitely- NY State Assembly Third Track Advisory Committee will hold its first public hearing April 17^th @ 7:30pm at John Lewis Childs Elementary School Auditorium, 10 Elizabeth St. Floral Park. Two additional hearings to listen to community input, draft a plan of action and present it to the Assembly Delegation for action will be scheduled in the future. (2) NHP Mayor Petruccio stated that on March 29^th C.A.R.E. (Coalition Against Rail Expansion) would be filming a program at the Floral Park TV Studio. See home page for info about it showing on TV. (3)Meeting at FTA- referred to FP Mayor Guarnieri, Trustee Tweedy and Village Clerk Farrell attending meeting at the FTA- refer to Floral Park Dispatch 3/14/08 for details. (4) NHP Deputy Mayor LoFaro made a point of clarification re the LIRR capital budget. Originally, it was incorrectly stated that $150 million was allocated for the third track of the main line. Subsequent documents stated that the $150 million was allocated for main line improvements.

4/2/08 - Newsday.com – Steve Ritea-LIRR halts new switching installation at Jamaica-It has been determined that the manual switching system was the root cause of the derailment that occurred at Jamaica Station on 3/27/08-The technology used for the switching system dates back to 1913. The machine in question was made in 1938.

4/3/08 - Garden City Life-Third Track Advisory Hearing in Floral Park April 17^th.

4/4/08 - Floral Park Dispatch- Mayor’s Message- LIRR Third Track- Mayor Guarnieri sends a strong message to the LIRR- “We are determined to sustain this fight as long as possible or until the LIRR comes to its senses and starts doing the right thing”.

4/8/08 - Newsday.com- Satellite upgrade caused woes for LIRR’s auto announcements- Steve Ritea-Automated announcements and electronic panels on all M7 trains have been out of commission since February 26^th. When the US Air force switched on a satellite that aids Global Positioning Systems (GPS) the signal was not recognizable to older GPS systems. It is expected to take three months to correct.

4/10/08 - Newsday.com- Renovations planned for Bay Shore train station-Jennifer Maloney

4/11/08 - Newsday.com-ISLANDWIDE- Planning board backs LIRR third track- Rick Brand-LI Planning Board Chairman John Cameron endorsed the project stating that the railroad’s case for the 10-mile addition is “very compelling”. Mineola Mayor Martins decried the action and said that the LIRR has left many unanswered questions.

4/11/08 - The Garden City News-Online- Website Launched To Inform Residents About Third

4/11/08 - The Illustrated News-LIRR President Williams Holds Special Meeting for New Hyde Park Officials-Meeting held to address the request of NHP officials to research the feasibility of elevating or depressing the tracks as an alternative to the Main Line Corridor Improvement Project. Williams went to great lengths as to why both tunneling and track elevation proposals are not feasible. She also mentioned that it appears that the FTA review of the draft EIS will not be completed until the 4Q 2008. She expects full completion of the Main Line Project by 2020 & the third track project will cost $1.5 billion.

Third Track Articles-_2007

12/27/07- Newsday.com-Steve Ritea-Wide gaps remain at 36 LIRR Stations.

12/02/07- Delay-prone diesel trains pose dilemma for LIRR.

11/23/07 - The Illustrated News- Letter sent by NY State Senator Craig Johnson to LIRR President Helena Williams- Critical of the lack of direct communication from the MTA/LIRR to the communities.

11/16/07- Mineola American- Joe Rizzo- Petitions against Third track to circulate.

11/2007- Floral Park Village Items & Centennial News- Petitions against third track. See the Petition form in the copy.

11/15/07- Newsday.com-Hearings on LIRR’s third track set for spring.

10/31/07- The Gateway-Letter to The Editor- Richard J. Nicolello, County Legislator, 9th- Opposing the segmentation of the Dept of Transportation’s review of the Long Island Truck and Rail Intermodal Facility project from the third track project. This ensures that the true impacts of neither project will be adequately considered.

10/14/07- NY Times- Working on the Rail Road- discusses the Nelson Report.

10/05/07- The Roslyn News- Online-Village of New Hyde Park Official Public Statement on the Intermodal Project.

10/03/07 - Newsday-Steve Ritea- LIRR report: Room for Improvement-The Nelson Report.

10/02/07- NY Times- Long Island RR- Good to Excellent.

6/19/07 - Newsday- Jennifer Maloney- Helena Williams begins by hiring former Metro-North President Donald Nelson to a 90-day assessment of LIRR System.

6/13/07- Newsday- Magdalene Perez- article exposing the fact that the LIRR have completed only 2 of 16 security projects initiated since 9/11/01 NY State Comptroller Thomas Di Napoli expressed concern.

6/11/07- Newsday- Jennifer Maloney- Commuters counsel.

6/10/07- Newsday-2 pages- Tickets to LIRR’s Future- introduces Helena Williams as new President and discusses the third track plan.

5/23/07- New York’s two senators expressed serious concerns regarding railroad safety. Senator Schumer said, “We’re on the brink of a disaster.” Testifying before the Senate Commerce subcommittee they cited the fiery March 12 derailment of a train carrying liquefied propane and other chemicals near Oneida, N.Y. CSX has had 5 derailments from December 2006 to May, 2007 (see NY Times 3/13/07).

5/16/07- Floral Park Village Items and Centennial News- Mayor Guarnieri”s Message- exposes the LIRR’s facts and figures as erroneous.

5/16/07- Newsday- Jennifer Maloney-Jump in LIRR riders’ reports of accidents-67% rise in accidents from 2006 to 2007. Susan McGowan (LIRR PR) spun this into a favorable article for the LIRR.

5/13/07 - Newsday- Dimming LIRR’s Horn of Plenty-Excessive noise levels in Cedarhurst- homeowners fight back.

5/09/07- The Gateway- Mayor Guarnieri - LIRR reduced track expansion by 1 ½ miles- Misc items critical of the LIRR’ deceptions.

5/08/07 - Town of Hempstead Kate Murray & Edward Ambrosino- new petition drive vs. LIRR proposal.

5/02/07 - The Gateway- Town/Village Officials Renew Third Track Petition Drive.

5/01/07 - Newsday- Jennifer Maloney-LIRR trims third track project- 124 property seizures to 94. Grade crossing elimination -originally called for 39 full seizures now 9 to 18 full seizures.

4/25/07 - Newsday- Jennifer Maloney- A 2^nd effort to petition against LIRR - quotes from Kate Murray.

4/18/07- Newsday- Jennifer Maloney-In closing gaps, Metro-North, LIRR looking to widen trains.

4/18/07 - Freight rail would ease congestion on LI roads- Phil Cardinale- Riverhead.

3/30/07 - Newsday- Jennifer Maloney- Tracks to get closer look- FRA vows to investigate all NY lines after a slew of problems found on passenger and freight tracks. Hillary Clinton requests probe of all train tracks in N.Y.

3/13/07- NY Times- Freight train derails and explodes in Central N.Y.

3/06/07 - Mayor Guarneiri reply to Cablevision editorial urging Senator Johnson to support the third track proposal.

2/21/07 - Jennifer Maloney- LIRR and bus ridership up in 2006- overall ridership up 2.4% to 82.1 million vs. 2005- conveniently ignores mention of long-term trend.

1/09/07- Newsday-William Murphy- MTA/LIRR tells selected communities about property condemnations in their villages.

Third Track Articles- 2006

2006 - Newsday- Getting Back on Track- Spitzer expected to criticize the state senate for slow action on the third track project- NY State gave MTA $202 million to complete the initial phase of the project but Skelos insisted that more funds go out only after a quality of life study.

8/25/06 - Newsday- LIRR safety concerns- Senator Schumer criticizes LIRR after survey of 30 stations about safety concerns at stations.

6/13/06 - News from the office of Alan Hevesi, NY Comptroller- audit points to safety issues at grade crossings.

1/06/06 - Assemblywoman Maureen O’Connell responding to my letter re: third track.

Third Track Articles-2005

11/11/05 - FP Mayor to address LIRR Track Expansion at GC Board Meeting.

11/03/05 - Mayor Phil Guarnieri was critical of County Executive Tom Suozzi for not supporting the fight against the Third Track Project.

10/04/05 - Letter from NY State Comptroller Alan Hevisi (Bleiwas) referring to MTA Capital Review Board (CPRB) who must approve the project. Letter includes the names of those on the board.

9/01/05 - Letter from Maureen O’Connell - opposing the third track proposal.

9/01/05 - Letter from Legislator Vincent Muscarella opposing third track proposal.

8/25/05 - Newsday- LIRR covered up misrouting error.

8/01/05 - Newsday Editorial critical of local politicians who oppose the third track project.

7/25/05 - Letter from Muscarella detailing his opposition to third track project.

7/22/05 - Letter from Vincent Muscarella stating his opposition to the third track proposal.

6/10/05 - FP Dispatch- Bellerose Village joins coalition to fight LIRR Project.