Extensive delays struck half a dozen subway lines Wednesday afternoon due to power issues, making for a nightmarish commute for early commuters.
An electrical issue at the rail control center in Manhattan, where workers monitor trains' progress electronically, caused major problems on the Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 lines through the afternoon. Workers inside certain subway lines had to watch and signal trains for a time, until a backup rail control system was up and running.
By 4:30 p.m., the MTA said normal service had resumed with lingering delays.
The cause of the electrical problem is under investigation.
Straphangers stuck on the platforms waiting for trains, though, said they felt trapped. One woman said she was going to have to walk home; another, as she was leaving the packed station, said she was going to take the bus.
At the 59th Street station, NBC 4 New York captured video of frustrated riders standing on the edge of platforms as a music group sang The Five Fairsteps' '"O-o-h child, things are gonna get easier ... " in the background.
@MTA @ABC7NY @NBCNews @cnnbrk no subway service ppl getting aggressive. No announcement no information pic.twitter.com/AAWIUG7TBD
— Geo (@geokiss) July 13, 2016
