What to Know
- Service resumed at Penn for NJ Transit commuters following a derailment Thursday night, but the waiting area was packed for the evening rush
- It wasn't clear what was causing Friday's extremely crowded conditions, but NJ Transit warned earlier of minor "congestion-related delays"
- A months-long overhaul of Penn, which has been beset by derailments, power issues and other problems, is set to begin Monday
New Jersey Transit commuters and weekend travelers packed Penn Station on Friday evening hours after a train derailed at the station for the third time in less than four months.
Many NJ Transit trains were on stand-by as the riders crowded together. NJ Transit said service in and out of Penn Station was subject to 30-minute delays during the evening rush because of congestion caused by a speed restriction in place due to ongoing Amtrak track work.
Amtrak lifted a speed restriction Monday — allowing trains to go 15 mph instead of 10 mph — after track inspections and maintenance were completed ahead of an eight-week-long overhaul of Penn Station. It wasn't immediately known why they were put back in place on Friday.
The crowded conditions were also caused by a train that had mechanical issues earlier Friday, an official said. The train was taken out of service, causing a ripple effect as other trains made more stops to make up for it.
Earlier on Friday, NJ Transit said that minor "congestion-related delays" could result from Thursday night's derailment.
On Thursday night, a North Jersey Coast Line train with nine cars was traveling in a Hudson River tunnel towards Penn Station when it was involved in a "minor" slow-speed derailment. It happened along Interlocking A, which is the focus of Amtrak's unprecedented summer repair project at Penn Station, set to begin Monday.
(1of2) NJ TRANSIT will resume its regular service into and out of Penn Station New York including Midtown Direct service.
— NJ TRANSIT - NEC (@NJTRANSIT_NEC) July 7, 2017
About 180 passengers and crew members were on board. No injuries were reported, but service was suspended in and out of Penn for hours as authorities investigated.
Amtrak, which owns and operates the tracks, said in a statement early Friday crews had worked through the night to assess possible infrastructure damage and complete necessary repairs. Some minor "congestion-related delays" were expected.
NJ Transit says it's working with Amtrak to determine the cause of the derailment. Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is calling for a full investigation into "all potential causes."
"We will do everything possible to ensure that NJ Transit and Penn Station are safe," Christie said in a statement.
(2of2) Customers may experience up to 15 minute delays into and out of NY as a result of a switch re... https://t.co/RqEjZBM01X
— NJ TRANSIT - NJCL (@NJTRANSIT_NJCL) July 7, 2017
While the three recent derailments happened along the same interlocking, they happened on three different tracks, indicating how widespread the wear and tear was, according to Amtrak COO Scot Naparstek.
The busy Northeast Corridor around Penn Station has been beset by problems in the last few months, including two derailments, one involving an Acela March 24 and one involving an NJ Transit train two weeks later, a power failure, signal problems and other issues.
Gov. Cuomo said the Amtrak repair project, while badly needed at Penn Station, would create a "summer of hell" for commuters.
