LIRR Derailment Repairs Expected To Be Complete By Monday Morning Commute
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Long Island Rail Road riders can expect at least one more day of delays and cancellations after a train derailment earlier this week.
"We have completed the task of replacing 1,600 damaged concrete ties, which is one major step. The next step facing our crews is to work overnight and all through tomorrow and, perhaps, into the weekend, to replace and restore 3,700 feet of electrified third rail," LIRR spokesman Aaron Donovan told WCBS 880 on Thursday afternoon.
Specialized machinery was used to dig up the damaged concrete ties.
"It is an enormous effort as you can see when you're replacing that many concrete tie panels," LIRR President Helena Williams told reporters including WCBS 880's Jim Smith earlier Thursday.
Williams said weekend service will not be affected as repairs and testing are finished.
LIRR Derailment Repairs Expected To Be Complete By Monday Morning Commute
The transit agency expects the Monday morning commute to be back on track as Williams says the repair effort has been all hands on deck.
"We have a combination of every element of our workforce out here," Williams told Smith. "We anticipate full, regular service to be back on Monday."
On Monday night, four cars of an empty passenger train derailed and ripped up three-quarters of a mile of track. Williams said the incident is under investigation.
"We're looking at the cause, why did this occur?" Williams said.
She added that speeding has been ruled out.
LIRR posted a video Thursday afternoon showing the effort to re-rail the cars. According to the agency, it took crews until early Wednesday morning to remove the cars from the damaged track.
Watch LIRR Crews Work To Re-rail Train:
The LIRR has canceled seven trains during the evening rush hour. One of the trains also terminates at Jamaica.
During the morning rush, 11 trains have been canceled and five are diverted from Penn Station to Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn while four other trains only went as far as Jamaica.
Crews have been working since Monday to repair 3,700 feet of railroad track - one of four main lines between Jamaica and Penn Station - that was damaged.
For more information on the service changes, click here.
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