LIRR back on track after broken rail repaired
People wait to board a Long Island Rail Road train in Penn Station during systemwide delays. (Nov. 2, 2012) Credit: Getty Images
The Long Island Rail Road was running on or close to schedule out of Penn Station Wednesday night after repairs were made to a broken rail, though residual delays of up to 20 minutes in both directions east of Jamaica continued.
The broken rail inside one of Amtrak's East River tunnels had caused evening rush-hour delays and cancellations for LIRR commuters.
The LIRR canceled 10 trains after the problem was reported shortly after 4:30 p.m.
The railroad suspended all westbound service between Jamaica and Penn Station "to maximize access for eastbound trains," LIRR spokesman Salvatore Arena said.
There was also no eastbound service to Far Rockaway or Hempstead from Penn Station. The LIRR advised customers to go to Atlantic Terminal to access those lines.
At 5:19 p.m., the LIRR reported that Amtrak crews were on the scene of the broken rail and were expected to complete temporary repairs within 90 minutes.
The broken rail blocked access to one of the four tunnels, and also caused delays for New Jersey Transit, which shares the tunnels with Amtrak and the LIRR, Arena said."We've told folks that they can take the subway to Jamaica and take a train from there if that works for them," said Arena, who added that no crowding was reported in Penn Station.
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