LIRR: Service disruption caused by debris strike to train

Damaged equipment that caused a service disruption of more than two hours on the Main Line east of Floral Park Wednesday night was caused by a debris strike that damaged a train, the Long Island Rail Road said Thursday.

Railroad spokesman Joe Calderone stressed the train involved - the 9:42 p.m. train from Penn Station to Huntington - did not derail and no one was injured.

"We had a debris strike," Calderone said, adding: "What appears to have happened is that the train struck material that was on the track - or on the right-of-way." He said the debris damaged the undercarriage of the train cars.

There also were reports of damage to vehicles parked in a village-owned commuter parking lot below the elevated track, Calderone said. He said Metropolitan Transportation Authority police are investigating those claims and he did not know the number of cars damaged.

The incident occurred at 10:08 p.m., according to commuters on board the train. The train was scheduled to arrive in Huntington at 10:49 p.m.

The debris is believed to be materials being used for an ongoing track replacement project taking place between Queens Village and New Hyde Park, Calderone said. That material includes new rails, connection plates and tie-downs.

Those materials are routinely placed along the right-of-way - essentially, a shoulder area bordering the tracks - in preparation for installation.

It is unclear how those material came in proximity with the train, whether they were placed too closely by work crews or moved by vandals. Police are investigating the circumstances, Calderone said.

The incident caused service disruptions on the Ronkonkoma, Oyster Bay, Huntington and Port Jefferson branches, railroad officials said. Another train was brought in and passengers were transferred to that train before service was restored at 12:17 a.m. Thursday.