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Comptroller finds exposed wires, rusty nails

Damaged step on staircase 14 of Track 7 at Belmont Park

Comptroller William C. Thompson today issued an audit of Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) stations that found conditions that require repairs at two stations in Queens and that the LIRR did not follow its own guidelines for painting and maintaining City stations.

“My office identified troublesome conditions at the Belmont Park and Shea Stadium stations of the LIRR,” Thompson said. “Auditors found exposed electrical wiring at Shea Stadium and rusted nails protruding from wooden staircases at the Belmont station. Each station also had missing or rotting canopies, rust, peeling paint, and corrosion, which may be potentially dangerous to LIRR riders. This is simply unacceptable.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) operates 26 LIRR stations within New York City’s boundaries.

The Comptroller’s review of the 26 LIRR stations found the following:

• Poor and hazardous conditions were found at two stations – Belmont Park and Shea Stadium.
  
  
• The problems at the Belmont Station include: rusted nails protruding from the wooden staircases on Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7; broken and discarded railroad ties by the Track 2 staircase; and platform canopies that were rotted and rusted on tracks 1-8 and missing at tracks 7 and 8.
  
  
• The problems at Shea Stadium include: pieces of concrete fell from the staircase onto the platform; the eastbound platform edge had broken concrete; two lampposts were missing cover plates that exposed electrical wiring; a section of the fiberglass cover over the west end staircase canopy was missing; paint was peeling from beams of the platform canopy; and, the overhead of the pedestrian ramp leaked and was rusted.

• Fair or good conditions and minor problems were found at 18 stations – Auburndale, Bayside, Douglaston, East New York, Far Rockaway, Flushing Main Street, Forest Hills, Hollis, Kew Gardens, Laurelton, Little Neck, Locust Manor, Murray Hill, Nostrand Avenue, Penn Station, Queens Village, St. Albans, and Woodside. The most common conditions identified at the 18 stations were: chipped and broken staircases, crumbling concrete, graffiti, uncollected litter, broken railroad tracks, deteriorating platform edges, peeling paint, rotted wood, rusted metal, and water leaks.

• No problems were reported at two stations – Hunterspoint Avenue and Long Island City.

• Capital renovations were being conducted at four stations – Broadway, Flatbush Avenue, Jamaica and Rosedale. Therefore, those stations were not reviewed.

Additionally, Thompson’s audit found that the LIRR neglected its own service guidelines regarding station-painting, failing to paint 14 of 26 stations since 2001. Painting is required once every two to five years depending on daily ridership. The stations that were overlooked are: Bayside, Belmont Park, Douglaston, East New York, Far Rockaway, Flushing Main Street, Hunterspoint Avenue, Laurelton, Little Neck, Locust Manor, Nostrand Avenue, Queens Village, Shea Stadium and Woodside.

“If the painting schedule had been followed, some of the problems identified in the audit could potentially have been avoided, such as rust on the staircases, peeling paint, and graffiti at the stations,” Thompson said. “The LIRR must adhere to its guidelines and consistently maintain its stations.”

This is the third audit during Thompson’s tenure to assess conditions at LIRR stations. The other audits in 2002 and 2003 found good and fair conditions with minor problems at 16 stations, with the exception of Murray Hill, which has since undergone capital renovations and improvements.

Thompson’s audit, which covered April 1, 2004 to March 7, 2006, showed that the MTA billed the City $73,879,843 for operation, maintenance, and use of commuter passenger stations for the LIRR and Metro-North Railroad from April 2004 to March 2005. Thompson today issued a second audit and news release concerning the conditions at Metro-North stations.

New York State law requires that the City reimburse the MTA for the cost of maintenance, use and operation of passenger stations within each local government’s boundaries.

Thompson recommended that the MTA and LIRR:

• Ensure that stations are painted in accordance with LIRR guidelines.
  
  
• Correct all unsafe and dangerous conditions immediately.
  
  
• Repair the platforms, stairways, and other deteriorated structures identified the audit.
  
  
• Clean and remove the graffiti and debris at the City Stations, as necessary.
  
  
• Ensure that conditions identified during inspections are promptly corrected.

In response to the audit, LIRR officials concurred with the Comptroller’s recommendations and indicated that they will take actions to remedy the cited conditions.

The audit can be viewed at the Comptroller’s web site: www.comptroller.nyc.gov