Long Island Rail Road Service Plan Improvement Study
Client: Long Island Rail Road
Location: New York, United States
Start date: 2023
End date: 2024
Duration: 10 Months
Services provided: Service Planning, Systems Modeling, Data Analysis, Station Operations, Rail Operations
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) opened a new Grand Central Madison (GCM) facility providing a seamless journey to Manhattan’s east side. With the introduction of service to GCM, LIRR launched its most significant schedule change in 50 years. This change included the split of Manhattan-bound services between Penn Station and the new GCM, as well as introducing the Brooklyn shuttle service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal.
We were tasked to review the service schedule post-GCM opening to identify opportunities for systemwide schedule and service improvements.
The scope of our advice included:
- Assessment of the schedule, train performance data, historical ridership data, and infrastructure and equipment constraints to identify opportunities related to the new service plan;
- Analysis of systemic service performance issues and identification of solutions;
- Evaluation of schedule adherence and opportunities for operational improvements;
- Review of customer transfers at key stations to inform recommendations around terminal changes;
- Investigation of dwell time management at stations to identify service improvements;
- Review of station operations to optimize rail service through improved train throughput and customer flow; and
- Analysis of the organization’s service guidelin
By utilizing advanced data processing techniques, it was possible to identify specific and actionable recommendations, for schedule and service improvement in the following areas:
- Management of transfer opportunities at key stations;
- Best practice customer communications techniques;
- Platform management and dispatch strategies to minimize dwell times and improve schedule adherence;
- Regularization of service stopping patterns and run times to improve service quality and operational resilience;
- Adoption of a comprehensive suite of service performance measures to inform future schedule and service improvements; and
- Further utilization of streamlined analytical and planning tools to support schedule and service optimization.