After an NJ Transit train derailed Thursday night, commuters were getting ready for the weeks-long chaos ahead as Penn Station undergoes a major overhaul. Brian Thompson reports.
What to Know
- Regular service has resumed at Penn for New Jersey Transit commuters following a derailment Thursday night
- Limited service was restored just after midnight in and out of the major hub; MTA said LIRR trains weren't impacted
- A months-long overhaul of Penn, which has been beset by derailments, power issues and other problems, is set to begin Monday
New Jersey Transit says service is operating on or close to schedule Friday morning, hours after a train derailed at New York's Penn Station for the third time in less than four months.
NJ Transit said one of its North Jersey Coast Line train with nine cars was traveling in a Hudson River tunnel towards Penn Station when it was involved in a "minor" slow-speed derailment around 9 p.m. Thursday.
It happened along Interlocking A, which is the focus of Amtrak's unprecedented summer repair project at Penn Station, set to begin Monday.
(1of2) NJ TRANSIT will resume its regular service into and out of Penn Station New York including Midtown Direct service.
— NJ TRANSIT - NEC (@NJTRANSIT_NEC) July 7, 2017
About 180 passengers and crew members were on board. No injuries were reported, but service was suspended in and out of Penn for hours as authorities investigated.
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Amtrak, which owns and operates the tracks, said in a statement early Friday crews had worked through the night to assess possible infrastructure damage and complete necessary repairs. Some minor "congestion-related delays" were expected.
NJ Transit says it's working with Amtrak to determine the cause of the derailment. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is calling for a full investigation into "all potential causes."
"We will do everything possible to ensure that NJ Transit and Penn Station are safe," Christie said in a statement.
Local
While the three recent derailments happened along the same interlocking, they happened on three different tracks, indicating how widespread the wear and tear was, according to Amtrak COO Scot Naparstek.
The busy Northeast Corridor around Penn Station has been beset by problems in the last few months, including two derailments, one involving an Acela March 24 and one involving an NJ Transit train two weeks later, a power failure, signal problems and other issues.
Gov. Cuomo said the Amtrak repair project, while badly needed at Penn Station, would create a "summer of hell" for commuters.
