Senator Gianaris Fights To Rid LIC Of Loud Trains

Queens, NY – Senator Michael Gianaris is continuing his fight to improve western Queens’ quality of life by requesting that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) immediately cease the idling of Long Island Railroad (LIRR) trains at the Long Island City rail yard in Queens. These trains pollute the air with the excessive amount of fuel they waste while sitting idle and disturb the neighborhood with the loud noises of their running engines.

In October 2010, Senator Gianaris and other elected officials succeeded in reducing noise pollution caused by the MTA in Long Island City by funding equipment to lessen the extreme noise caused by a fan that ventilates the subway tunnel under the East River. The noise coming from the idle trains at the Long Island City railroad, however, has thwarted those noise-abating efforts.

“It is unacceptable that the MTA wastes expensive fuel while transit fares rise and services are being cut,” Senator Gianaris said. “Just when we thought we succeeded in ridding Long Island City of ear-splitting noises caused by the MTA, we find they are replaced with the loud sounds of idle train engines. Our community’s quality of life should not continually be compromised by inconsiderate actions of the MTA.”

Senator Gianaris sent a letter to MTA Chairmain Jay Walder requesting the establishment of an anti-idling policy in order to preserve the health and quality of life of Long Island City residents.

Permitting locomotives to run their engines while immobile exacerbates problems with pollution and noise in an area that is already overwhelmed by the sounds and fumes of the adjacent Queens Midtown Tunnel. Residents should not be forced to endure the unnecessary din and ingest the exhaust of diesel engines, particularly as the residential population of Long Island City continues to grow rapidly.

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