2 trains out of service after ‘slippery rail’ advisory, LIRR says

The Long Island Rail Road canceled two westbound trains on the Babylon Branch on Friday morning — the second day in a row it has done so.

The railroad said Thursday that a large number of train cars were out of service because of wheels that had become damaged after they slid along wet leaves on the tracks and then hit bare metal.

The railroad did not immediately give a reason for Friday’s cancellations, and it has not made public how many cars in its 1,200-car fleet are out of service because of the damaged wheels or for other reasons.

The LIRR sent out an advisory to riders earlier this week telling riders to expect shorter trains and cancellations “due to car shortages caused by a seasonal problem called ‘Slippery Rail.’ ”

“It occurs when fallen leaves deposit a slippery residue on the rails that causes train wheels to skid & develop flat spots,” the railroad said. “Cars with flat wheels are taken out of service for repair & returned to service as soon as possible.”