LIRR: On or close to schedule after delays, cancellations due to track condition

A track condition in an East River tunnel canceled three trains and caused several delays during Monday's morning rush hour, the Long Island Rail Road said.

Spokesman Aaron Donovan said a crew working the overnight hours found a defect in a rail in one of the East River tunnels and that the rail was taken out of service to make repairs.

Repair crews shut down the rail at about 5 a.m. and returned it to service at about 8:30 a.m., Donovan said.

Residual delays lasted through the morning, and most of the railroad returned to its normal schedule at about 10:30 a.m., the LIRR said.

During the down time, as it operated with one less rail, the LIRR instituted a preordained plan, Donovan said.

The plan cancels some trains and diverts others to relieve rail traffic during the rush hour, he said.

At one point, systemwide delays on westbound trains were between 5 and 10 minutes and up to 20 minutes on eastbound trains, the service said.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

The cancellations were at Jamaica station, the LIRR said. Two trains were diverted to Atlantic Terminal, and one more to Hunterspoint Avenue.

At one point, NYC Transit cross-honored LIRR fares for the Nos. 2 and 3 subway lines from Atlantic Terminal and the No. 7 subway line from Hunterspoint Avenue.