NEW YORK — The Long Island Rail Road launched its “Cannonball” summer service from Penn Station to Montauk, N.Y., on Thursday (May 22), marking a key change in the railroad’s summer schedule that took effect on Monday, May 19.
The 4:07 p.m. “Cannonball” train, long a Friday-only operation, added a Thursday train last year. Those limited-stop trains make the trip in 2 hours, 49 minutes, shaving more than a half-hour off the regular full-route time. Also, a direct train at 5:13 p.m., which previously operated only on Fridays before also adding a Thursday train last year, now operates Monday through Friday. That train, which makes most stops, arrives at 8:30 p.m. The full schedule is available here.
“The real start to the summer season is days before Memorial Day when the first Cannonball departs Penn Station,” LIRR President Rob Free — who greeted customers boarding the Thursday Cannonball — said in a press release. “With 97% of trains arriving on time and ridership surging, there’s never been a better time to visit Long Island by rail than this summer.”
The new schedule also includes summer service on the Long Beach and Ronkonkoma branches, as well as the return of off-peak midday service between Ronkonkoma and Greenport.
An enchanting train service to ride indeed…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Once known as “McNamara’s Cannonball” when LIRR Manager Walter McNamara (a PRR guy) acquired a string of heavyweight, ice-activated PRR Parlor Cars for this service.