LIRR plagued by ticket machine problems, signal trouble

LIRR service between Penn and Jamaica stations was suspended for more than 90 minutes Monday night after central offices lost control over the signal system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

Central command offices, located near Penn Station, lost power over the system just before 9 p.m., MTA spokeswoman Meredith Daniels said, and workers switched power to an alternate command system at about 10:25 p.m.

At least four trains were canceled by 10:20 p.m., while most trains were held, with the LIRR’s Twitter feed posting delays of more than an hour in some cases. Fares were cross-honored, the MTA said.

Residual delays continued after midnight, according to LIRR tweets.

Daniels said a replacement for a malfunctioning part of the command system had been ordered and that the morning commute would not be affected.

It was the second problem that struck the LIRR Monday.

Ticket vending machines at LIRR stations malfunctioned when they stopped taking debit and credit cards temporarily.

SEE PHOTOSLIRR trains and commuters through the years

LIRR spokesman Aaron Donovan said the malfunction was reported about 5:20 p.m. and that the machines still accepted cash.

Because of the problem, the LIRR had waived the extra fee for purchasing tickets onboard a train Monday night, Donovan said. He described the Penn Station evening rush hour, during which the vast majority of riders already have monthly tickets, as “normal.”

Daniels said the problem was fixed about 10:20 p.m. and the machines were expected to operate normally again by 10:30 p.m.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com,ellen.yan@newsday.com@alfonsoreports,

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.