This is a complaint and a report on the deplorable and depraved conditions I experienced in the men’s rest rooms of njt and lirr penn station in new york city. On monday august 23, 2010 upon arriving in penn station just after 8am I had the unfortunate and immediate requirement to use a toilet. I first tried the men’s restroom up by 8th avenue and found it populated with indigent/homeless men (one bare foot and dirt encrusted) and not a single open stall. One kindly homeless man offered me his spot in the line for a stall, but I could only imagine what unsanitary conditions I would have found once the stall was vacated.
I dashed out of there hoping to find an open stall and a better situation at the njt restrooms near 7th avenue by the “ticket holders” only waiting area. (I was transferring to a njt train at 8:41am). What a joke! The njt restroom had 2 open stalls, the first stall (handicapped) had no door at all and the smaller second stall had a banged up door with no lock and no way to close the door properly or secure it for any measure of safety. The stall toilet paper dispenser was also missing. It appears the dispenser had been ripped from the wall but someone luckily had fashioned a toilet paper holder with the wire hanger. On the way out of the restroom another homeless men had arrived (with large plastic bag of redeemable cans in tow) was forced to use the toilet with no door. Meanwhile out in the “ticket holders only” waiting area a group of other mostly homeless men sat quietly. There was nobody sitting at the security desk.
As a new yorker I was ashamed to find these unacceptable, unsafe, and unsanitary conditions for both myself and the homeless (not to mention the poor unknowing tourist that might need to use a bathroom anyplace in penn station). The mta/lirr/njt needs to correct immediately the poor physical condition of these rest rooms (especially the njt restroom) and also address the complete lack of security in the restrooms, and lack of compliance with the “ticket holders” waiting area security. These depraved conditions are likely a symptom of the homeless situation in nyc, so the njt/lirrmta needs to more resources for them and partner more with homeless coalitions or something to improve the situation, because someday day you too might find yourself in the unfortunate situation of needing a restroom in penn station. Nyc is the greatest city in the world and even our restrooms should reflect that reality.
Cc: lirr/njt/mta
I use to take the 345 out of Massapequa I know a lot of people that are not happy we need that train back
The 319 is way to early and the 425 packed now and its getting a lot of people in to late
Leave it to LIRR to screw up "improvements." Horrible morning commute and horrible evening commute with change in schedules etc. due to this new line that probably no one will use. Thanks for nothing. Plus as a senior I have to pay full fare in the morning.
The New schedule on the Babylon branch is so horrible. I haven't had my ticket checked all week because the trains have been so crowded . Running 8 cars all week WTF is that? This is a perfect example of this horribly run organization the LIRR is. What are they thinking? I'm gonna start to car pool again.
My commute since the schedule change is horrendous both to work and home the trains are over packed the platform at Penn is packed the platform at Ronkonkoma is packed this is horrible! Trains are too short can’t find seats this is appalling something needs to be done ASAP!
LIRR Monday February 27, and Tuesday 28, 2023
5:46 pm peak
Penn Station to Cold Spring Harbor
Huntington Line
For two days I have been standing due to there is only 8 cars since the changes of time schedules.
I commute everyday and standing and paying high fare is not acceptable.
We deserve better service.
Please reconsider additional schedules as it doesn’t make sense that after 12:46am the next train is not till 2:46am. Why a 2 hrs wait on a weeknight? This is not acceptable especially with your additional trains and the opening of Grand Central terminal.
Where are the direct trains to and from Huntington / Atlantic Terminal?
They all appear to have been removed, an now adding more time to travels, with multiple transfers.
These changes are exceptionally difficult for people having disabilities! Not nice and not fare.
How do you have your transfer trains not wait for the incoming train anymore? I was on a train to oyster bay and the train from Penn was a couple of minutes late so the oyster bay train left leaving a bunch of stranded passengers. I was informed by the conductor that there are no more transfer trains.
This train is late every morning by at least 5-7 minutes. This is unacceptable. It's supposed to arrive in Penn at 7:03. There is no reason why this train should be late every day. At least 3 days a week it gets hung up on route and arrives in Penn at 7:12. I am late to work every day. Unacceptable!
Since February 28, 2023
The east side of the East Rockway station stop (Long Beach branch) is littered with garbage. It's been like that for some time.
For weeks the fire alarm station is been beeping nin stop, and nothing is been done, the beeping noise is not pleasant, when is the fire alarm vendor repairing it!
I’m a new resident to a apartment called 1875 Atlantic Ave and I live right next to a train I would really love if they can slow down the noise since a lot of people here have been complaining and to slow the tracks or make it it some way that it can be slower
May 16, 2023 @ 6:18PM
Everything just sucks. It was better before Grand Central opened up.
Gives about 3 - 5 minutes to transfer from track 1 to 12, that's not enough time.
There are homeless people living at the Merrick train station and it is an unacceptable situation for the commuters and LIRR staff. This has been going on for quite some time. On Monday, May 15th, there was a man with no shirt and a pair of shorts that were falling off. I hope something is being done to address this issue.
The 4:46 Brentwood train was 10 cars and now is 8. People are standing in the aisles at Penn and we haven’t hit Jamaica yet. Unacceptable service for the price of a ticket
The 7:30 am train from little neck to grand central station is packed as usual. No seats. There aren’t enough rush hour trains in the morning. Schedule doesn’t make any sense. No 8am trains for people that need to arrive at work by 9am. People fighting to get few remaining seats.
Your SCHEDULE TO LONG BEACH FROM PENN STATION ON THE WEEKEND HELPS NO ONE ! no one wants to tranfer and no one wants to use grand ctrl waste of money shoving down throats of riders waste of money you have no idea of who rides the trains get a grip on reality NOT serving anyone
I was going from new hyde park to Lawerence , the train was delayed when reaching jamaica and i have to wait an 1hr to catch the next train because the train was too slow.
At elmont Station the ronkonkoma line goes right past me on a different track, no announcement or notifications. I called customer service and they basically said wait for the next one sorry. No explanation as to what happened and a flimsy reassurance. No respect.
Passengers shouldn’t be allowed to carry their pets like dogs on Train it’s disturbing and bothersome to other fellows passengers as well as to the animal itself.
08/03/2023
Today again delayed on LIRR train heading to Hempstead (2:41pm train from grand central on 8/15/23) . Signal trouble today Always something going wrong with these tracks or signals between Jamaica and Hollis station. Hardly any communication to customers on anticipated timeline that problem might get resolved
This past Saturday my ticket was taken by a male attendant on the way to Penn Station from Port Washington. A woman charged me again at the last stop and refused to even consider I was telling the truth or ask her coworker. I was so furious. Idk if it was me being big black and free or not. It ruined my day.
the noise is intolerable
Graffiti on your Signal Hut in East Williston on the Oyster Bay line. Young people also walking on railroad property and climbing on LIRR Signal Tower. Can cameras be installed?
I live near the Kew Gardens train station, 8340 Austin Street, Kew Gardens, NY 11415. There is a chugging noise that is made when the train crosses the track. This does not happen all the time. It occurs when the train is going fast and is all day long. On the weekends, when the train is going slower, it is not an issue.