Heavy rain poured on Oct. 31, 2025, once again, causing flooding across Long Island and New York City, disrupting the subway system and the Long Island Railroad. The Long Island Rail Road’s Port Washington branch, which services Great Neck residents in and out of NYC, experienced water pooling along tracks in Queens and Nassau County, delaying passengers throughout the day. For many riders, this scene was a familiar one, as only three months prior, another intense storm caused a complete closure of the train line.
That earlier storm, on July 31, 2025, struck in the late afternoon during the evening rush hour, flooding tracks near Bayside and Great Neck, leaving passengers stranded on board and in Manhattan struggling to find a way back to Great Neck.
“During my summer internship, I got trapped in the city with no way to get home due to the rain,” junior Chandra Lin said. “It was scary, especially since I relied on the Long Island Rail Road to get home.”
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Association (MTA), rainfall exceeded 2.75 inches per hour—far greater than the drainage system was designed to handle—causing the shutdown of the entire branch from late afternoon to the next morning while crews worked to pump water out and inspect damage.
Together, these recent incidents highlight the need for updated infrastructure on the Long Island Rail Road and the lines’ vulnerability to heavy rains. The Port Washington Branch, which connects Great Neck to NYC, is one of the oldest lines. Its infrastructure dates back to the 19th century, and although the line has been modernized over time, many of its drainage systems, embankments, and rails have not been updated since their implementation.
Geography is also a key factor in these floods. The branch crosses low-lying areas and wetlands between Queens and Port Washington, making it naturally prone to flooding during rainfall. Other branches that run on higher grounds or through fewer wetlands and marshes can remain open under similar conditions, but Port Washington’s line combination of age, geography, and infrastructure, leaves it more vulnerable.
“I think the Long Island Rail Road needs some serious updates,” junior Raphael Nassimhia said. “Sometimes, I still see those old train carts from the 1980s.”
The MTA released a plan called the Climate Resilience Roadmap in October 2025, aiming to address these issues. The MTA notes that over the past 18 months, the region has seen six major rain events and multiple heat waves, patterns that are expected to only increase in the coming years. To address those risks, the MTA has committed roughly $1.5 billion toward improving drainage, reinforcing embankments, and protecting stations from extreme weather. The Port Washington branch is specifically listed under the plan as needing storm resiliency upgrades.
However, at the same time, riders are preparing for fair increases. Starting in January 2026, the MTA will raise prices for the subway, buses, Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road, directly impacting Great Neck Residents. One way weekly and monthly commuter tickets are expected to rise by 4.5%. Officials say that the additional revenue is essential to fund the upgrades needed to keep trains running through storms like those in July and October.
The MTA is also increasing fare enforcement by reducing the window for using Long Island Rail Road tickets from 2 months to the day of purchase.
For many riders, these changes seem complicated. Paying more for service that is frequently disrupted by weather can be frustrating, yet without those funds from fare increases, the MTA has limited ability to improve infrastructure.
“Train tickets are already expensive enough,” sophomore Elizabeth Guan said. “We shouldn’t have to pay more for the Long Island Rail Road when there are so many problems with it.”
For students and families in Great Neck, the Port Washington branch remains a daily lifeline. But the major flooding events this year show how infrastructure built for a different century is struggling to meet the demands of a changing climate. The coming fair hikes might help fund progress, but they also highlight the delicate balance between cost, service and public opinion.
