Derailment, Signal Problems, Sick Passenger and More — Another Day of Headaches for Subway Riders
It's the second subway derailment in less than a month
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No one was hurt in a minor Q train derailment in Brooklyn Friday morning, the MTA says, but the subway derailment — the second in less than a month — is causing major service changes for riders on multiple lines. Erica Byfield reports.
What to Know
The second set of wheels of the second car of a southbound Q train came off the rails in Brighton Beach shortly before 9 a.m. Friday
No one was hurt, but major service changes on multiple subway lines were in effect as authorities investigated
It was the second subway derailment in less than a month; in late June, an A train derailment in Harlem injured nearly three dozen people
No one was hurt in a minor Q train derailment in Brooklyn Friday morning, the MTA says, but the subway derailment -- the second in less than a month -- caused major service changes for riders on multiple lines all day, along with other issues across the system.
Signal problems at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue in Queens and a sick passenger at 49th Street station in Manhattan exacerbated subway issues later Friday afternoon, delaying the E, F, M, N, R and W trains. Video posted to Facebook shows riders filing through the cars of the stalled subway train during the sick passenger emergency at 49th Street.
Earlier Friday morning, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz says the second set of wheels of the second car of a southbound Q train came off the rails south of the Brighton Beach station shortly before 9 a.m. A rescue train responded to help customers off the stalled train. MTA's interim executive director, Ronnie Hakim, said there were 135 people on the train.
Chopper 4 was over a train derailment at Brighton Beach Friday.
The derailed train was put back onto the tracks by around 3 p.m. The southbound Q train stopped running during the work, and service on the B line was shut down completely for a brief time. Limited service resumed slowly throughout the day, and by 5 p.m. normal service resumed on the B and Q lines in Brooklyn.
NBC 6 South Florida
San Francisco is considered the worst place to drive in the entire country, according to WalletHub. The study shows it has the highest average gas prices. It also received low ranks in safety, traffic and infrastructure.
Oakland is the second worst place to drive in the country, according to WalletHub. It has one of the highest car theft rates and average gas prices.
Ironically enough, the Motor City is one of the worst places to drive in the U.S, according to WalletHub. In came in at No. 98.
The nation's capital came in at No. 97 on the list. It also ranked 97th for traffic and infrastructure, according to WalletHub.
Seattle has landed in the bottom five when it comes to places to drive in the U.S. The city is one of the most expensive to own and maintain a car and ranks low for traffic and infrastructure, according to WalletHub.
Not only is Boston one of the worst states to drive in overall, it also has the worst traffic in the nation, according to WalletHub.
Honolulu may be beautiful, but it's one of the worst places to drive, according to WalletHub. It ranked No. 94 overall and is considered the second most expensive place to drive in the country, according to WalletHub.
Philadelphia came in at No. 93 on the list. It is also the city where accidents are most likely to occur, according to WalletHub.
Baltimore comes in at No. 92 on the list. It also ranked in the bottom five for safety, according to WalletHub.
At No. 91, Los Angeles is one of the 10 worst places to drive in the country. It is also the third most expensive, according to WalletHub.
Newark, New Jersey, is not only one of the worst places to drive in the nation, it is also the second most dangerous, according to WalletHub.
San Bernardino came in at No. 89 on the list. It also came in 89th for safety, according to WalletHub.
Chicago comes in at No. 88 on the list. Not only does it have a low overall ranking, its traffic and infrastructure is some of the worst in the nation, according to WalletHub.
San Jose claims the No. 87 spot on the list. Not only is it expensive to own and maintain a vehicle there, the traffic and infrastructure aren't great, according to WalletHub.
Milwaukee came in at No. 86 on the list. It also ranks low in safety, according to WalletHub.
Long Beach came in at No. 85 on the list. Like many of the other California cities listed, it is more expensive to own and maintain a vehicle there.
Denver comes in at No. 84 on the list. The city ranks low when it comes to traffic and infrastructure.
Miami may be ranked No. 83 overall, but it actually is considered the best in the nation when it comes to access to vehicles and maintenance, according to WalletHub.
St. Louis is ranked No. 82 in the general study, but actually ranks the lowest in the nation when it comes to safety, according to WalletHub.
Santa Ana came in at No. 81 on the list. It is one of the more expensive places to own and maintain a vehicle, according to WalletHub.
Pittsburgh landed the No. 80 spot on the list. According to WalletHub, traffic and infrastructure ranks low and the city has some of the most days with precipitation.
Cleveland came in at No. 79 on WalletHub's list. The city's worst category is safety, according to the study.
It probably comes as no surprise that New York is one of the worst places to drive in the country. It has the highest average vehicle maintenance cost in the country and drivers spend about 61 hours on average in congestion each year, according to WalletHub.
New Orleans came in No. 77 on the list. Its low ranking is mostly attributed to the minimal access to vehicles and maintenance in the city.
Minneapolis has landed in the No. 76 spot on WalletHub's list. It was ranked in the middle of the pack for many categories, but got a low ranking in traffic and infrastructure.
Chopper 4 over the scene showed nearly a dozen personnel in reflective vests standing in the tracks around two cars of the stalled subway train. A cause of the derailment is under investigation.
Hakim said there's a slight curve in the tracks where the subway car derailed, but it's not clear that factored into the mishap.
The derailment comes less than a month after 34 people were injured when an A train derailed near the 125th Street station in Harlem. In that case, on June 27, terrified riders were stranded in darkened, smoke-filled cars for two hours in some cases. The MTA said that derailment was caused by an improperly secured rail. Two supervisors have been suspended.
Kelly Kopp
A shattered glass window is seen between train cars after the derailment in Harlem Tuesday morning.
Kelly Kopp
Another shattered window on the floor of the derailed train car.
Handout
Workers examining damages on the site of the derailment.
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Metal scrapped from the impact.
@thisisjcali
@sarahcline
Smoke filled the subway after a train derailed in Harlem Tuesday
Kelly Kopp
Riders covered their noses from the smoke and held up their phones as flashlights as they were taken off the dark, smoky train.
@kirkajames
The train derailment in Harlem stalled several subway lines, and at least three trains stuck in tunnels had to be evacuated. Here, riders are escorted off a dark, powerless train by MTA and firefighters.
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Firefighters evacuated another train that got stuck when an A train derailed in Harlem Tuesday.
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The train derailment in Harlem stalled several subway lines, and at least three trains stuck in tunnels had to be evacuated. Here, riders are escorted off a dark, powerless train by MTA and firefighters.
@nrik_nyc/Twitter
Passengers were escorted off an A train after a derailment Tuesday
Passengers taken through a tunnel after a trail derails
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Passengers walk through tunnel after being taken off a derailed train
@nrik_nyc
A subway rider says there was some burning ember on the tracks after the derailment and lots of smoke.
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People were also taken off a stuck D train after an A train derailed in Harlem.
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Firefighters help passengers off another stuck train after the derailment in Harlem
Benjamin Williams
FDNY responds to the subway derailment at 125th Street in Harlem
NBC 4 NY
Police, firefighters and ambulance flooded the Harlem intersection as they responded to the derailment.
Handout
Workers assessed the damage on site.
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Some walls in the areas were also damaged.
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Damaged tracks from the impact.
Handout
Some metal on the tracks was destroyed.
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Some track wood was impacted.
Handout
A downed signal laying on the tracks.
Handout
Rail track was mangled from the derailment.
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Workers on site examining station damages.
While Gov. Cuomo predicted a "summer of hell" for NJ Transit and Long Island Rail Road workers amid Amtrak's months-long overhaul of Penn Station, city subway riders have thus far been subjected to a worse predicament. The 112-year-old system has been plagued by a series of signal problems, mechanical breakdowns and now possibly two derailments in the last few months.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito says the latest nightmare underscores an urgent need for increased funding at local and state levels.
"Millions of New Yorkers rely on our subways each and every day to get around our city, and they deserve a safe and reliable form of public transit," she said in a statement. "Instead of wasting time pointing fingers and arguing over who controls the MTA, we should be focused on finding solutions to these urgent transit issues."
The second week of Amtrak's Penn overhaul has been marked by constant delays on almost every mode of mass transit in the tri-state area -- and almost none of the issues have to do with the infrastructure work at the Manhattan hub. There's plenty of blame to go around -- manpower shortages, signal problems, stalled trains -- but to commuters trying to get to work on time in a heat wave, the cause doesn't matter as much as the effect.
NBC 6 South Florida
San Francisco is considered the worst place to drive in the entire country, according to WalletHub. The study shows it has the highest average gas prices. It also received low ranks in safety, traffic and infrastructure.
Oakland is the second worst place to drive in the country, according to WalletHub. It has one of the highest car theft rates and average gas prices.
Ironically enough, the Motor City is one of the worst places to drive in the U.S, according to WalletHub. In came in at No. 98.
The nation's capital came in at No. 97 on the list. It also ranked 97th for traffic and infrastructure, according to WalletHub.
Seattle has landed in the bottom five when it comes to places to drive in the U.S. The city is one of the most expensive to own and maintain a car and ranks low for traffic and infrastructure, according to WalletHub.
Not only is Boston one of the worst states to drive in overall, it also has the worst traffic in the nation, according to WalletHub.
Honolulu may be beautiful, but it's one of the worst places to drive, according to WalletHub. It ranked No. 94 overall and is considered the second most expensive place to drive in the country, according to WalletHub.
Philadelphia came in at No. 93 on the list. It is also the city where accidents are most likely to occur, according to WalletHub.
Baltimore comes in at No. 92 on the list. It also ranked in the bottom five for safety, according to WalletHub.
At No. 91, Los Angeles is one of the 10 worst places to drive in the country. It is also the third most expensive, according to WalletHub.
Newark, New Jersey, is not only one of the worst places to drive in the nation, it is also the second most dangerous, according to WalletHub.
San Bernardino came in at No. 89 on the list. It also came in 89th for safety, according to WalletHub.
Chicago comes in at No. 88 on the list. Not only does it have a low overall ranking, its traffic and infrastructure is some of the worst in the nation, according to WalletHub.
San Jose claims the No. 87 spot on the list. Not only is it expensive to own and maintain a vehicle there, the traffic and infrastructure aren't great, according to WalletHub.
Milwaukee came in at No. 86 on the list. It also ranks low in safety, according to WalletHub.
Long Beach came in at No. 85 on the list. Like many of the other California cities listed, it is more expensive to own and maintain a vehicle there.
Denver comes in at No. 84 on the list. The city ranks low when it comes to traffic and infrastructure.
Miami may be ranked No. 83 overall, but it actually is considered the best in the nation when it comes to access to vehicles and maintenance, according to WalletHub.
St. Louis is ranked No. 82 in the general study, but actually ranks the lowest in the nation when it comes to safety, according to WalletHub.
Santa Ana came in at No. 81 on the list. It is one of the more expensive places to own and maintain a vehicle, according to WalletHub.
Pittsburgh landed the No. 80 spot on the list. According to WalletHub, traffic and infrastructure ranks low and the city has some of the most days with precipitation.
Cleveland came in at No. 79 on WalletHub's list. The city's worst category is safety, according to the study.
It probably comes as no surprise that New York is one of the worst places to drive in the country. It has the highest average vehicle maintenance cost in the country and drivers spend about 61 hours on average in congestion each year, according to WalletHub.
New Orleans came in No. 77 on the list. Its low ranking is mostly attributed to the minimal access to vehicles and maintenance in the city.
Minneapolis has landed in the No. 76 spot on WalletHub's list. It was ranked in the middle of the pack for many categories, but got a low ranking in traffic and infrastructure.
Among Friday's woes:
Metro-North
The Danbury Branch had 30-minute delays due to a switch problem.
LIRR
A Port Jefferson to Long Island City train was delayed west of Jamaica and then cancelled due to equipment trouble.
Switch trouble delayed a handful of trains, including the 5:39 a.m. from Montauk to Long Island City and the 7:57 a.m. from Ronkonkoma to Penn.
A Ronkonkoma train to Penn Station was delayed at Jamaica because of police activity.
NJ Transit
At least three trains left Hoboken late Friday morning due to what NJT called "operational issues." Two New York Penn Station departures were also delayed for the same reason, and one from South Orange.
Four trains from various points were delayed due to mechanical problems.
One bus was delayed and another cancelled due to mechanical issues, while a third bus was cancelled due to operational issues.
Subway
A minor Q train derailment in Brighton Beach wreaked havoc on B and Q service in Brooklyn. No injuries were reported.
Signal problems at stations in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan affected service on nearly a half-dozen lines at various times throughout the day, with the F, M, E, 2 and 3 all experiencing delays.
Southbound E and F trains were subject to service changes and delays because of a train with mechanical problems at Roosevelt Avenue. Delays were affecting M and R trains as well. Separately, mechanical issues on trains at Church Avenue and Sixth Avenue delayed F, G and L service.
More than a half-dozen Twitter users complained about no air conditioning on a No. 1 train on the third straight day of temps in the 90s. The MTA responded that it would investigate and apologized for the inconvenience.
