Tunnel signal problems delay LIRR trains

Signal problems briefly caused delays and cancellations Thursday morning on the Long Island Rail Road, officials said.

The trouble was in one of the East River tunnels. A message to riders on the MTA website said some trains were canceled at Jamaica, others were being diverted to Hunterspoint Avenue. The move was made, the railroad said, to reduce congestion of trains headed to Penn Station.

Officials said at 8:10 a.m. that the signal problem was repaired.

The affected trains were the 7:23 a.m. from Long Beach, due at Penn at 8:22 a.m., which was diverted to Hunterspoint; and the 7:29 a.m. from Freeport, which was canceled in Jamaica. Customers were advised to transfer at Jamaica to another Penn-bound train.

The 7:36 a.m. from West Hempstead, due at Penn at 8:29 a.m., was originally supposed to be diverted to Hunterspoint, with customers transferring to a different train at Jamaica. But the railroad said that train would run as scheduled after the signal problem was fixed.