Tuesday freight train derailment near Jamaica under investigation
The Long Island Rail Road and its Queens-based freight carrier are investigating the cause of a train derailment near Jamaica Tuesday night.
Two cars of a westbound New York and Atlantic Railway (NYAR) freight train came off the rails just east of Jamaica shortly before 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to LIRR and NYAR officials. LIRR spokesman Andrei Berman said the railroad expected to have the train cleared from the tracks by Friday night..
"NYAR is working closely with LIRR to rerail the cars," NYAR spokesman Don Miller said in a statement. "The cause is currently being reviewed."
There were no injuries in the derailment, and both railroads said there was no disruption of passenger service. However, the LIRR did report scattered delays and Hempstead trains bypassing some stops early Wednesday morning.
The freight train was carrying construction debris off of Long Island, according to Miller.
NYAR has operated freight trains on the LIRR’s tracks under a concession agreement since 1997. The LIRR has, on several occasions, raised concerns over the company’s safety practices, including after a 2016 Federal Railroad Administration investigation into NYAR found "several safety issues that could increase the risk of additional accidents" on LIRR tracks. The LIRR has said NYAR has put in new safety protocols to address the FRA concerns.
According to FRA data, NYAR reported three train derailments in 2020, all in rail yards, and none resulting in injuries.
Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.
