LIRR delays follow disabled NJ Transit train in East River tunnel
NEW YORK - Commuters are facing major delays Wednesday after a train struck debris in an East River tunnel.
What we know:
According to officials, a Long Island Rail Road train struck debris triggering widespread service disruptions on the Long Beach Branch.
What they're saying:
Some passengers were being evacuated from affected trains as frustration mounted, with riders taking to social media.
One wrote, "Another dreamy morning on the #LIRR … it is like they are on strike already," while others complained about being stuck in tunnels and waiting to be rerouted.
SkyFOX flew over the scene, where a disabled train could be seen in the tunnel area as emergency crews responded.
What happened?
According to the MTA, a Long Island Rail Road train traveling from Jamaica to Penn Station became stuck in an East River tunnel around 6:20 a.m. Wednesday after the engineer reported striking debris.
The incident followed an earlier issue in the same Amtrak-operated tunnel involving a disabled NJ Transit train that was later removed.
All passengers aboard the LIRR train were safely evacuated, according to officials.
The disruption prompted cancellations, delays and reroutes on the Long Beach Branch during the morning commute.
Riders were advised to check the TrainTime app and the MTA website for real-time service updates.
The Source: This report is based on information from the MTA.