A non-passenger train derailed at Jamaica station Wednesday morning setting off delays and cancellations that persisted through the rush hour commute.
Early Wednesday morning the LIRR alerted riders that service had temporarily been suspended through Jamaica. The delays affected all branches except for Port Washington, which does not travel through Jamaica.
Some trains were cancelled while others were delayed by more than an hour.
The railroad was still experiencing near system-wide delays of 10-15 minutes as the morning progressed but eventually returned to near full service.
The cause of the disruption was a non-passenger train that detached from the tracks. The railroad had no explanation for the cause of the derailment as of Wednesday afternoon.
The LIRR is cancelling eight evening rush-hour trains as two tracks at Jamaica remain out of service. Meanwhile, crews will continue efforts to remove the derailed train from the tracks.
“Customers who normally change trains at Jamaica are advised to listen for announcements and expect that transfers could take place on tracks that are different from normal,” the LIRR said in a statement.
LIRR temporarily suspended both directions through Jamaica due to derailed non-passenger train. Port Wash service not affected at this time
— LIRR (@LIRR) February 8, 2017
According to the LIRR, the rear car of an eastbound non-passenger train came off the track as it was approaching the Jamaica platform at approximately 4 a.m. No crew members on board were injured, the railroad said. The incident is currently under investigation.
This is the third such derailment involving the LIRR in four months. In January, a westbound train failed to come to a complete stop as it entered Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, causing the train to partially come off the tracks. More than 100 people were injured and even more were left rattled. In October, an eastbound train collided with a work train, leaving 29 injured. No one died in either incident.
List of cancelled trains:
Babylon Branch
The 4:03 p.m. train from Penn Station due into Babylon at 5:05 p.m. has been canceled. The 4:12 p.m. train from Penn Station, due into Massapequa Park at 5:10 p.m., will stop at Woodside, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, Rockville Centre, and all further stops to Babylon.
The 4:34 p.m. train from Penn Station due into Babylon at 5:39 p.m. has been canceled. The 4:37 p.m. train from Penn Station due Wantagh at 5:27 p.m. will stop at Rockville Centre, and all further stops to Babylon.
The 4:57 p.m. train from Penn Station due Wantagh at 5:42 p.m. has been canceled. The 5:03 p.m. train from Penn Station, due into Freeport at 5:46 p.m. will stop at Rockville Centre, Baldwin, Freeport, Merrick, Bellmore and Wantagh.
The 5:19 p.m. train from Penn Station due Wantagh at 6:06 p.m. has been canceled. The 5:24 p.m. train from Penn Station, due into Freeport at 6:10 p.m., will stop at Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Jamaica, Rockville Centre, and all further stops to Wantagh.
The 6:05 p.m. train from Penn Station due Wantagh at 6:51 p.m. has been canceled. The 6:10 p.m. train from Penn Station, due into Freeport at 6:54 p.m., will stop at Rockville Centre and all further stops to Wantagh.
The 6:33 p.m. train from Penn Station due into Babylon at 7:35 p.m. has been canceled. The 6:36 p.m. train from Penn Station due into Wantagh at 7:29 p.m., will stop at Jamaica, St. Albans, Rockville Centre, and all further stops to Babylon.
Oyster Bay Branch
The 6:00 p.m. train from Jamaica due Oyster Bay at 6:58 p.m., has been canceled. The 6:16 p.m. train from Penn Station, departing from Jamaica at 6:36 p.m., will operate normally, making all stops to Oyster Bay, arriving there at 7:30 p.m.
Port Jefferson Branch
The 6:30 p.m. train from Penn Station due into Huntington at 7:32 p.m. has been canceled. The 6:35 p.m. train from Penn Station due Hicksville at 7:22 p.m. will stop at Jamaica, New Hyde Park, and all further stops to Huntington.
