LIRR Operating Near-Normal Morning Rush

The MTA Long Island Rail Road said it expects to operate near-normal morning service on September 30, though riders are advised that there’ll be some delays and cancelations.

(The agency later issued an apology for the service disruptions; read it .)

This includes the 8:35 a.m. Babylon train that’s due at Penn Station at 9:37 a.m., which has been canceled according to the MTA/LIRR website this morning.

This comes after a lightning strike to key switching equipment in Jamaica on September 29 wreaked havoc on all lines, causing long delays and causing service suspensions on many lines, especially the eastbound lines like Babylon, which runs through Lindenhurst.

According to a statement on the LIRR website, the railroad’s the signal system that controls the operation of trains into and out of Jamaica was damaged. LIRR employees worked non-stop around-the-clock to restore the signal system in time for the morning rush, said the LIRR.

Customers could check on LIRR service before heading to train stations by monitoring the Current Service Status box on the website, listening to the latest traffic reports and signing up for free E-Alerts that provide the latest train information direct from the LIRR train operations center.

Customers could also contact the LIRR's Travel Information Center at 718-217-LIRR (5477)

Hearing-impaired customers could their preferred relay service provider or the free 711 relay to reach LIRR at 718-217-5477.

Editor's Note: Tell us about your commute last night and this morning .