The Port Washington substation, located at the intersection of Davis Avenue and Bayles Avenue in Port Washington, has been replaced as part of the LIRR Modernization Program. The new substation, which was built at a cost of $26.2 million, replaces an earlier brick-and-mortar substation that had been in service more than 30 years and was beyond its useful life.
The new substation ensures the continued reliability of Port Washington Branch train service by maintaining a robust power system for the electrified third rails that provide the traction power that moves trains and keeps them lit and temperature controlled. With greater capacity, the new substation enables the anticipated growth in train service that is expected to coincide with the start of LIRR service to Grand Central in 2022.
The Port Washington substation is the first of 14 substations to be replaced or rebuilt through the LIRR Modernization Program, a $6.6 billion program called for by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to rebuild, replace and renew components of the Long Island Rail Road to foster Long Island’s economic growth for generations to come.