Service resumes on Ronkonkoma line

Service has resumed on the Ronkonkoma branch of the Long Island Rail Road after being suspended because a man was struck and killed by a train west of Deer Park, officials said.

The 7:32 a.m. westbound train from Ronkonkoma hit the man, described only as being in his 40s, at about 7:50 a.m. at the Carlls Straight Path crossing, said Aaron Donovan, an LIRR spokesman. The man was not authorized to be on the tracks, Donovan said.

Eastbound service resumed at 9:15 a.m. with a train from Penn Station due in Ronkonkoma at 10:37 a.m., the first to go all the way through the line, the LIRR said.

That train was expected to be delayed at Hicksville at 9:59 a.m., when it was scheduled to be held until the police completed their investigation.

Westbound service was restored shortly after, the LIRR said, when an additional train left Ronkonkoma at 10:04 a.m. The first scheduled westbound train to leave Ronkonkoma was scheduled for 10:11 a.m., due into Penn at 11:32 a.m.

Earlier delays had been caused by track problems in an area east of the Bethpage station, officials said. That caused branch delays of up to 15 minutes before the temporary fix was made at about 7 a.m.

It was not immediately clear when a permanent fix would be made to the rail.

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The 5:12 a.m. train from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma was canceled at Hicksville, officials said. Those customers were being transported by bus.

The 6:08 a.m. train from Penn to Farmingdale also was canceled at Hicksville, as was the 6 a.m. train from Farmingdale to Penn. Those customers were asked to use the 5:42 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma.

Earlier, the 4:06 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Penn operated late through Hicksville, as did the 4:58 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Penn.