Long Island Railroad service was suspended in both directions for hours on the Ronkonkoma branch Thursday morning after a train hit an unoccupied car that was on the tracks, officials say.
The 5:29 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Penn Station hit the vehicle at the Broadway railroad crossing in Bethpage at about 6 a.m., LIRR officials say.
No one was in the car at the time, and there were no injuries to any of the crew or passengers aboard the train.
The car was pushed into an awkward position, the LIRR said, making it difficult to get off the tracks. The electrified third rail that supplies power to the line had to be shut off so the vehicle could be safely removed.
The line was suspended between Ronkonkoma and Bethpage for several hours, stretching into the morning rush. Trains began running with delays at about 8:40 a.m., with trains making local stops to Hicksville before continuing to Mineola, Jamaica and Penn Station.
The crash also prompted some road closures at grade crossings along the line.
