MTA Names New LIRR President

LONG ISLAND, NY - MTA officials announced on Thursday that Smithtown resident and Chief Operating Officer Philip Eng has been officially been named the new president of Long Island Rail Road.

Eng first joined the MTA in March 2017 when he was appointed COO. Before that between October 2017 and January 2018, Eng concurrently held the position of Acting President at New York City Transit.

“Phil has shown exceptional leadership and dedication during his time at the MTA, and I know he will bring his enthusiasm for developing a world-class transportation system to the LIRR,” MTA Chairman Joseph J.Lhota said. “With 35 years of experience in the New York transportation sector, I couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for this position at this crucial time as we work toward creating a robust future for the commuter rail.”

Eng will be replacing Patrick Nowakowski, who served as LIRR president for nearly four years.

In his new position, Eng will be overseeing the start of the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), unveiled last month, which is aimed at improving service reliability, seasonal preparedness and customer communications.

“My life’s work has centered on conceptualizing the best possible options to make transportation options more reliable, allowing commuters to get where they need to go safely and quickly," he said. "I am honored to be chosen to lead the LIRR and its team of talented women and men as we work together to make the daily experience on the trains a better one. The transformational infrastructure projects that are underway, along with the implementation of the Performance Improvement Plan, will make a lasting impact on the region’s quality of life and economy."

Before joining the MTA, Eng started his career in public service at New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in 1983 as a Junior Engineer.

He gained expertise while working his way up from Construction Supervisor, to Director of Operations, to Regional Director of the Department’s New York City office and Chief Engineer, until his final post there as Executive Deputy Commissioner.

During his tenure there, Eng played an integral role on significant projects such as the I-81 Environmental Impact Study (EIS), LIRR Mainline Expansion Project EIS, Rochester Station and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s plan to replace the Kosciuszko Bridge.

A graduate of Cooper Union, Eng earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree and is a licensed professional engineer in New York State, and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Eng was born and raised on Long Island. He grew up in Williston Park, moved to Mineola as his first residence, and now lives in Smithtown with his wife, Carole, and their two sons and twin daughters.

“My home stations have been East Williston, Mineola and Smithtown now,” he said.