Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

  by Terminal Proceed
 
By CAREN HALBFINGER
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: October 27, 2004)


More than 10,000 Metro-North Railroad riders endured delays of an hour or more yesterday after an overhead wire caught fire at the New Rochelle train station, burning an insulator and cutting power to the New Haven line trains.

Three tracks were back in service at 4:30 p.m., just in time for rush hour.

The cause of the 11:20 a.m. electrical fire is being investigated, railroad spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said. The fire was spotted by a flagman protecting workers who were doing scheduled work on one of the four tracks. For about an hour, there was no service on the New Haven line. From 12:20 to 4:30 p.m., one track was in service, and northbound and southbound trains took turns using that track, which led to the long delays.

Yoshi Hirata, a New Rochelle resident who works in Harrison, was stuck at the New Rochelle station yesterday afternoon, trying to get back to his office in Harrison.

"I've been here an hour and a half,'' he said. "This happened about four weeks ago. It's not worth it. (The fare is) too high, and they are talking about raising it again! I had to call my boss three times already.''