Broken Rails Causing Problems For LIRR Service
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A broken rail was the cause of major delays for Long Island railroad commuters on Thursday morning.
As CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported, the break was causing cancellations and backups.
The system is operating on only one of two Main Line tracks while repairs are underway on a broken rail near Queens Village. The LIRR said some Hempstead Branch service may also be affected.
Customers were being advised to use South Shore branches if possible, such as the Montauk or Babylon branches, but another broken rail in the Babylon Yard is causing about 20-minute delays for those trains as well.
Riders told CBS2 they were waiting more than an hour-and-a-half for a train to show up. Others complained about poor communication from the rail station, and the weather wasn't helping.
"Hour late. They don't give us announcement at the train station, they don't tell us. Everyone's confused, don't know where to go," Vincente Mencsu said.
Sredika Singh said her train was already an hour behind. The next one wasn't expected for another hour.
"Devastated," she said.
"I had to walk from my house here trying to get to the train and find out nothing's running, it's frustrating a little bit...Cold makes it worse," Xavier Macias said.
The MTA hoped to have the track repaired ahead of the PM rush.
