NJ TRANSIT Train Breaks Down Outside Hudson River Tunnel In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A NJ TRANSIT train became disabled just outside the Hudson River tunnel in New York City, delaying other trains throughout the Northeast.
The Northeast Corridor train was scheduled to arrive at Penn Station at 8:39 a.m. but lost power in the tunnel, stranding more than 1,000 passengers on-board and backing up all rush hour train traffic from New Jersey, CBS 2's Kathryn Brown reported.
"When we were in the tunnel I could notice we were almost out of the tunnel at Penn and I noticed us slowing down and then finally stop," 23-year-old passenger Anna Paone told 1010 WINS. "They told us that we were having mechanical problems and that we didn't have enough power to get into the station and that they would have to send a mechanic to come get us."
Paone had boarded the 7:55 a.m. train out of Metuchen and said they finally pulled into Penn Station around 9:50 a.m.
Commuters hustled off the platform angry, annoyed and running late, Brown reported.
"If this was a one-time occurrence, I think most people would have a whole lot more sympathy or empathy toward the organization, but every single day there's just a new delay, a new problem, a new maintenance issue," passenger Derrick Logan said.
"Absolutely ridiculous and it's unacceptable," said passenger Dumar Paden. "People were very upset, people were very uncomfortable. I felt sorry for a lot of people that were standing up."
"We were agitated, but understanding," said passenger Nicole Bruno. "Nonetheless we made it, that's all that matters."
The cause of the mechanical issue is under investigation. The train never lost air conditioning or lights while underground, according to a NJ TRANSIT spokesperson.
Five trains on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line were delayed 20 to 30 minutes in and out of Penn Station as a result of the disabled train, an Amtrak spokesman said. It also caused delays on NJ TRANSIT's Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton line trains in and out of Penn Station.
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