LIRR “Z Train” Diesels Along the Ronkonkoma Branch

On Saturday, February 5 and Saturday, February 19, 2022, me and some friends made trips out on the Ronkonkoma Branch to experience the hype for ourselves. Due to signal/trackwork on the main line between Mineola and Hicksville, Ronkonkoma Branch trains were not able to operate via their usual route of Penn Station-Jamaica-Hicksville-Bethpage-Ronkonkoma. To avoid cutting off service altogether or requiring complicated & confusing transfers for customers, the railroad ran Ronkonkoma trains as diesel-powered Z trains. A “Z train” (railfan term) is a Ronkonkoma Branch train that takes a detour via the Montauk and (unelectrified) Central Branches, reversing direction at Babylon and Bethpage. The route forms the shape of a reverse Z, which is where the trains got their name from. It’s not every day you get to see dual-mode equipment west of KO, so enjoy and stay tuned for a ride-along video coming soon!