Trestle Work Disturbs At Least One Neighbor In East Hampton Village

Residents of Talmage Lane in East Hampton Village say their houses have been “rumbling” throughout the day and night, possibly in some way connected to the Long Island Rail Road train trestle work.

Susan Rakowski, who’s lived on Talmage Lane off North Main Street for more than 28 years, said this is the first time she’s felt rattling from the trains. She told the East Hampton Village Board at its Thursday, October 3, work session that she’s always been aware of the train whistle, or the sound of metal on the tracks, but that since the construction work got going, she’s been feeling an “unsettling rattling” throughout her house.

“Something is happening now,” she stressed to the board. “It troubles me. I’m worried about the structural integrity of the homes.”

Ms. Rakowski explained that the rattling and noises happen every time a train goes by, and said it doesn’t have to do with the construction work. She said on Thursday, a train went by at 6:02 a.m. and she felt her house “rumble” and “shake.” She emphasized that she understood the nature of a massive construction project, but said that the shaking also happens after hours, when work isn’t being done.

“I need to get assurance from the trustees or an engineer that this is temporary and not going to be something we’re going to have to live with,” she said.

Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. said the engineers are making major alterations to the track and that the rumbling is likely temporary.

Long Island Rail Road project manager Dan J. Knote said that during this phase in construction, the structures shouldn’t be creating any vibrations.

“We have vibration monitors on sight. The reports can be made available,” Mr. Knote told the board and Ms. Rakowski, adding that he has contacted the engineers and will address the issue as soon as possible.

“We’re looking into it,” Mr. Knote said. “We’re going to work with the railroad and public affairs group.”

To that, Ms. Rakowski said she’d like to have the LIRR and Metropolitan Transportation Authority engineers monitor the sound at her home in particular to get to the bottom of the problem.

“We’re in the throes of major construction,” Mr. Rickenbach chimed in. “I think short-term, it’s unfortunate that you folks that are immediate neighbors are being the worst encumbered. Once the new structures are in place, I think that’s going to go away.”

On another note, East Hampton Village Police Chief Michael Tracey said that his officers have had very few traffic problems with the work, which has periodically been closing North Main Street and Accabonac Road to raise the trestle to achieve 14-foot clearance.

“It could’ve been a huge traffic issue for us,” Chief Tracey said.

Mr. Knote said that after November 10, his crews will embark on cleanup duty. He told the board the LIRR would be “restoring everything and getting it back so you have your beautiful community back.”