Other Comments- The addition of the Third Track to the Main Line will have nothing but a negative impact on every one of us. It is not an issue of a select few merely upset about noise and construction. This project has been in the works for years. It is not about a current expansion plan, it is not about reverse commuting, increased ridership, or a bypass track, nor is it about the impending new tunnel to Grand Central Station. How can a project be proposed so many years ago, yet be about current situations. If they had expanded back then, wouldn't that have been a waste, since we do not need it today?  If the LIRR truly does need to expand for various reasons (including future growth in ridership), let them do it within the current parameters and structure that they have.  They need to become much more efficient at scheduling and train car maintenance and availability, before merely increasing the size of the available track. 

The only thing that stopped the LIRR attempt to expand Freight on the Hempstead line a few years ago was political pressure as a result of strong and un-ending complaints, and letters by communities and individuals in masse.  While we live with the increased freight that resulted on the Main Line, we cannot allow an additional track to be made available.  The impending freight increase will have a devastating negative impact on our lives and the value of our homes. 

We need to get the attention of all politicians. No politicians are excluded! Certainly some know more than others, but all have the ability to help since the network of political decisions is remarkably intertwined. They all have the ability to find information and “MAKE A DIFFERENCE.” Let every politician out there know that if they take no position, they are supporting the Third Track; they will be putting the Freight Train on the track, therefore reducing your quality of life and directly reducing your home value.  With an additional track available, the increased freight will be there night and day.  Freight Trains will be longer, heavier, faster, louder, and more dangerous. 

There is no "undecided" or "not my concern"; there is no choice, for us nor for the politicians. We need them to research this expansion much more thoroughly. They need to do as good a job at finding out the real impact of this project, as they do when they uncover something during their infighting. This is not a partisan issue; this is about every elected representative finding out the truth about the devastating results that will change our lives forever. 

If they don't put pressure on the LIRR to explain not only the purpose of what the LIRR claims to need, but to also explain why there is no other reasonable solution, they are hurting each one of us personally and financially.  More importantly, politicians need to stop the word-play; make the LIRR disclose not only the "purpose" of the addition, but the "result" and "by-products" of this unnecessary expansion. Of course the expansion is "not about freight" or else no one would support it, but the fact is that Freight Carriers will have a "right" to use any unused track that is available during any time of the day and any day of the week. Don't let them say that if freight carriers wanted to expand, they could do it now. Of course they could, but it would not be as profitable due to technical track restrictions where commuter trains are running peak and off peak, and due to at-grade crossing, which restrict length and speed of freight trains. The addition of the track may almost double their freight business (if not more). 

Do not be misguided by any claim by the LIRR that freight trains reduce freight on roadways.  It will merely result in moving the freight trucks from major roadways onto many local roadways in order to transport freight to and from freight train imtermodals and their origination points and destinations. 

Years ago the reason was simply growth; however, ridership dropped off when they increased fares so that growth never appeared. Do not be fooled by crowded trains; we know that issue is about having better scheduling and better equipment so that trains can be made longer, as well as making better use of the double deckers. At the scoping sessions, it was vaguely about increased ridership and more express trains from Suffolk. Shortly afterwards, it was about reverse commuting and inter-Nassau and inter-Suffolk commutation. Recently, it was about a bypass track. How can a project of this magnitude not have a real purpose? Well it can't. They just can’t say it. They cannot say that it is needed to increase needed Freight expansion.  Increases in freight revenue will not help fund any commuter line needs; it stay in the commercial/freight fund for more freight service improvements at the expense of the commuter service.