(The following story by Jennifer Maloney and Reid Epstein appeared on the Newsday website on November 24.)
NEW YORK — A Long Island Rail Road train derailment that caused major damage to rails and switches at Jamaica Station yesterday will disrupt the morning rush hour, prompting 12 morning westbound train cancellations as crews scramble to make repairs at the railroad’s largest hub, railroad spokesman Joe Calderone said.
Federal Railroad Administration officials are investigating the derailment, which is the second accident at the same station in a week – and the third this year.
No one was hurt in yesterday’s derailment, which shut down railroad service in both directions for about 90 minutes.
“We were lucky,” said Gerry Bringmann, chairman of the LIRR Commuters Council. “Thank God this happened on a weekend. The fact that we have two [accidents] within four or five days – that’s scary stuff. We’re just hoping that this is a wake-up call for the railroad to fix what’s wrong.”
In March, two eastbound trains had a low-impact collision just west of Jamaica. No injuries were reported. Last Wednesday, at the same station, two westbound trains sideswiped each other, causing minor injuries to five riders.
Yesterday’s accident occurred at 12:20 p.m., just west of the station, when a train bound for Huntington jumped its tracks as it approached the platform. The station has a speed limit of 15 mph.
The LIRR is still trying to determine what caused the incident, Calderone said. Part of the train reached the station, and passengers from two derailed cars were able to walk through the train to exit onto the platform. But seven passengers from a third derailed car were forced to evacuate onto the tracks after power to the electrified third rail had been shut off, Calderone said.
LIRR officials said the derailment was not related to Wednesday’s collision.
Four of eight tracks at Jamaica were damaged, Calderone said.
Four federal inspectors were on the scene yesterday, said Steven Kulm, a Federal Railroad Administration spokesman.
Kulm said three factors can contribute to a derailment: the tracks, the train and the actions of the train’s operator.
The railroad is responsible under federal law for inspecting its own tracks and equipment; the Railroad Administration also does periodic inspections, Kulm said.
He could not immediately provide information on the LIRR’s last federal inspection.
Railroad officials yesterday said repair work on four eastbound tracks would continue through the night, and likely would not be completed before the morning commute. The only LIRR line not affected by the repairs is the Port Washington branch, which does not go through Jamaica.
At least one rider had the misfortune of getting caught in delays caused by Wednesday’s and yesterday’s incidents.
Daniella Friedman, 23, of Inwood, lost 45 minutes Wednesday morning on her commute to New York University, where she is a graduate student. Yesterday, Friedman spent an extra 20 minutes at Penn Station and 30 minutes at Jamaica while waiting for a train home from school.
“Waiting in the cold,” she said sarcastically while on the Jamaica platform, “it’s really the joy of my life.”
Staff writer Joseph Mallia contributed to this story.
CANCELLATIONS
Westbound
These trains will be canceled in the modified service plan:
6:25 a.m. train from Hicksville.
6:26 a.m. train from Massapequa Park.
6:57 a.m. train from Freeport.
7:23 a.m. train from Hempstead.
7:29 a.m. train from Freeport.
7:40 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma.
7:43 a.m. train from Merrick.
8:03 a.m. train from Long Beach.
8:03 a.m. train from Valley Stream.
8:38 a.m. train from Long Beach.
The following trains will terminate in Jamaica:
7:12 a.m. train from Hempstead.
7:16 a.m. train from West Hempstead.
Eastbound
(reverse peak) service:
LIRR eastbound, reverse peak service from Flatbush Avenue will be extremely limited, with one passenger train leaving the Brooklyn terminal per hour. Customers should consider using Penn Station reverse peak service, which is expected to operate at regularly scheduled times. Riders should anticipate delays en route.
Two accidents in five days
A train derailment that caused major damage to four tracks and hour-long delays yesterday in under investigation.
WEDNESDAY
An accident occurred in the morning when a Babylon train and a Port Jefferson train sideswiped each other west of Jamaica station.
YESTERDAY
The 11:51 a.m. train from Penn Station to Huntington left its tracks on its approach to Jamaica station at 12:20 p.m.