LIRR restores westbound service to Penn, but delays persist

The Long Island Rail Road restored westbound service into New York City shortly after 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, though eastbound travelers faced delays as long as 20 minutes, the railroad said.

A signal problem that arose in midafternoon in Jamaica was followed, about 5:15 p.m., by a disabled train in one of the East River Tunnels.

That forced the railroad to suspend trips to Penn Station in the late afternoon, before the delays spilled over into the eastbound service, inconveniencing tens of thousands of commuters headed home to Long Island.

Various trains bound for Great Neck, Port Washington, Port Jefferson, Montauk and other stations were held, canceled or delayed, the LIRR said on Twitter.

The railroad advised its customers on Twitter that crews were working to solve the problems, and “New York City Transit is cross-honoring” ticket holders.

At least one westbound trip was delayed nearly an hour and a half by equipment trouble, the railroad said.

“The 3:34PM train from Huntington due Penn at 4:41PM arrived 85 minutes late,” the LIRR’s Twitter feed said.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

One of the first trips delayed was the 3:11 p.m. train from Hempstead due into Atlantic Terminal at 4:03 p.m., according to the LIRR’s Twitter feed.