Slippery rails, signal problems delay LIRR

Slippery tracks and signal trouble were among the problems Tuesday as Long Island Rail Road trains operated at reduced speeds, causing several delays for westbound morning passengers, the commuter service said.

A "slippery rails" advisory was sent out at 5:56 a.m. The slick condition, "created by a Teflon-like residue" left on the rails from crushed leaves, gets even more slippery when it rains, the LIRR said on its website.

Trains were running at reduced speeds because of the slippery rails, the LIRR said.

Wheels slip and slide as trains speed up or slow down, and in severe cases, the trains must use emergency braking, "forcing us to take much-needed equipment out of service for repairs," the LIRR said.

Several trains were delayed because of slippery rails, including the 5:35 a.m. from Long Beach to Penn Station, which was 10 minutes late at Valley Stream; and the eastbound the 12:55 a.m. from Valley Stream, which was 15 minutes late into West Hempstead.

Several other trains had equipment trouble, including the 5:08 a.m. from Huntington, due into Penn Station at 6:11 a.m., which was 22 minutes late. The train was to be canceled in Jamaica, where customer were scheduled to transfer to other westbound trains.

Later in the morning, after 7 a.m., 15-minute delays into Penn Station on several trains were blamed on a signal problem near the East River tunnels, the LIRR said.

Some trains were canceled at Jamaica, and others were rerouted to Brooklyn's Atlantic Terminal.