by Ken W2KB
About New York Arrival/Departure Delays of Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Midtown Direct service
NJ TRANSIT apologizes for the significant delay and inconvenience many of you experienced this morning.
At approximately 6 a.m., Morris & Essex Lines Midtown Direct train 6606 became disabled near Morristown Station due to a mechanical problem. Although the train was able to regain power, it continued to experience mechanical difficulties and was canceled at Newark Broad Street Station as a precaution. Train 6606’s passengers were transferred to following train 6610.
At approximately 7:10 a.m., train 6610 became mechanically disabled at Kearny Junction, where the Morris & Essex Lines connect to the Northeast Corridor. Train 6610 was able to regain power and continue to Secaucus Junction, where it was also canceled as a precautionary measure, with passengers transferred to trains 3550 and 3918. Resulting congestion caused delays of 15-20 minutes to Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Midtown Direct trains.
Unfortunately, at approximately 8 a.m., Northeast Corridor train 3918 became disabled in the South Tube due to a mechanical problem. An Amtrak rescue locomotive was dispatched to tow the train back into the station, and the train was cleared from the tunnel at approximately 9:10 a.m.
However, until the disabled train could be moved, all NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak trains in both directions were forced to share the single-track North Tube for service in and out of New York Penn Station. This caused significant delays to all trains ranging from 30-60 minutes throughout the morning peak period. In addition, some Midtown Direct trains were rerouted to and from Hoboken Terminal, where customers could use their rail tickets and passes at no additional charge to continue their trip via PATH.
Regrettably, some customers who were on the first disabled train, train 6606, were also on the other two trains that became disabled and incurred an even greater delay, arriving in New York more than two hours after train 6606 was scheduled to arrive.
At approximately 9:10 a.m., the South Tube was returned to service and normal operations resumed using both tunnels. Residual delays affected service through the mid-morning hours.
During this incident, we provided the most current service information via station PA announcements, broadcast traffic reports and the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at http://www.njtransit.com.) In addition, to provide customers with alternate travel options, we established cross-honoring on PATH at Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal.
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience. If you have additional questions or comments regarding these delays, please contact us online at http://www.njtransit.com or by calling NJ TRANSIT Customer Service at 973-275-5555.
~Ken :: Fairmont ex-UP/MP C436 MT-14M1 ::
Black River Railroad Historical Trust :: [/url]
Black River Railroad Historical Trust :: [/url]
