Work train derailment snarls LIRR; 11 trains from Grand Central, Penn Station canceled
Travel on the Long Island Rail Road was slowed Thursday evening because of a work train derailment in Queens Village earlier in the day, the MTA said.
Eastbound riders were told to expect delays of 15 to 20 minutes on their evening commutes.
New York City-bound service on the Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson branches east of Hicksville was canceled during the evening rush, and 11 Long Island-bound trains were canceled — six from Grand Central Terminal, and five from Penn Station.
The delays came after two cars of a 16-car work train jumped the tracks in Queens Village shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday. The train was carrying concrete ties for scheduled track work west of Jamaica station. No one was hurt.
An MTA spokesperson said crews were still working to get the work train back on the tracks late Thursday afternoon.
LIRR service was scheduled to run hourly Thursday afternoon from Hicksville and Mineola through Jamaica to Penn Station. All westbound service on the Ronkonkoma and Port Jefferson branches east of Hicksville was canceled.
Westbound travel on the Babylon, Montauk and Port Washington branches was unaffected.
