LIRR: Near-normal service restored after Amtrak train stalls

Nearly normal LIRR service was restored systemwide at about 6 p.m. Thursday, 90 minutes after a disabled Amtrak train that stalled just outside the East River tunnel shared by LIRR and Amtrak trains, officials said.

Amtrak Train 284 was reported to have broken down at 4:31 p.m., said Long Island Rail Road spokesman Salvatore Arena, who added that an eastbound LIRR train to Ronkonkoma was among the trains carrying inconvenienced passengers.

The train reversed direction and was running 24 minutes late while several other trains were combined or canceled to ease congestion.

Amtrak officials ordered a rescue train to unclog the pathway.

Arena said that about 5:40 p.m. the disabled train had been cleared but that more LIRR trains could be canceled before the system returned to normal service.

By 6 p.m., LIRR officials said trains were operating on or close to schedule systemwide.