New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) officials announced the opening of two newly renovated railroad stations bringing customer-focused improvements to thousands of riders.

LIRR opened its upgraded Farmingdale station building and also finished a $27 million renovation project at Wantagh Station, which included platform replacements and newly installed elevator, among many other added amenities.

The work at Farmingdale station, which is still ongoing, is part of an $84 million, eight-station renovation package, awarded earlier this year. The work at Wantagh Station was funded through the current MTA Capital Program.

Artwork was commissioned for Wantagh Station that references the surrounding community and enhances the architecture and beauty.

Farmingdale Station

Farmingdale Station, located along the Ronkonkoma Branch in Suffolk County, serves more than 3,800 daily customers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this station, originally built in 1890, has long been a part of this community.

Its facade was fully restored to its original historical brick architecture, capturing and preserving its history and character. To celebrate that, historic photos will be placed alongside a commemorative plaque in remembrance of its past.

Improvements include:

• Building upgrades: A new waiting room with terrazzo flooring, newly redone ADA accessible restrooms, tile and wood wall and ceiling finishes, windows, doors, electrical, plumbing and HVAC upgrades.

• Easier navigation: The pedestrian underpass rehabilitated, and new wayfinding signage installed along with, bike racks, benches, USB charging stations, technology counters, and LCD information displays to further enhance the customer experience.

• Safety: New CCTV cameras installed.

Further upgrades to come:

• Improved ADA accessibility with a new ramp by the end of the year.

• Platform shelter sheds, LED platform lighting by Q2 2019.

• Trash receptacles, free public Wi-Fi, digital information display totems by summer 2019.

• Platform repairs, which are expected to be complete by summer 2019.

Wantagh Station
Along the Babylon Branch, the Wantagh Station, built in 1867, was replaced with the current elevated station in 1968.

Wantagh customers — about 6,000 each weekday — can now wait for their trains on newly replaced platforms, which feature snow/ice melting systems to help keep them clear and safe during the winter months. In colder times, customers can take shelter inside a new heated platform waiting room.

Improvements include:

• Improved ADA accessibility: an elevator was added to this station.

• Existing escalator replaced.

• A new center staircase was installed.

• Four other staircases were refurbished.

• A new segmented platform canopy installed.

• Energy efficient platform lighting.

• New signage and public address system to further enhance the customer experience.

• The replaced east-end platform was opened in February 2018, followed by the start of construction on the west-end platform, which finished this month.