Overview
- Two trains got stuck in the same East River tunnel Wednesday morning, including an LIRR train that hit debris and led to the evacuation of about 900 riders with no injuries.
- The stoppage forced widespread LIRR cancellations and delays, with some trips diverted to Grand Central Madison and others ending at Jamaica for transfers.
- Service into Penn Station stayed restricted through midday as crews inspected the tunnel, though the LIRR said most lines were close to schedule by early afternoon.
- Amtrak said it is investigating where the debris came from after LIRR president Rob Free said the train hit a piece of metal, and NJ Transit said its lines had no residual delays.
- The incident exposed how the four East River tubes, with one already shut for a years-long Amtrak rehab and shared by Amtrak, the LIRR and NJ Transit, can bottleneck the region’s main hub.