NEW YORK — According to Newsday, a breakdown on a rush-hour train Wednesday night caused multiple delays throughout the Long Island Rail Road, stranding dozens of riders for hours and sparking what commuters described as a “near riot” at Jamaica.
“To sum it up, the LIRR dropped the ball big-time,” said Peter Haynes, president of the Long Island Rail Road Commuters Campaign, a rider advocacy group.
The trouble started when the 5:29 p.m. train from Flatbush to Huntington became disabled with equipment problems outside the Jamaica station, said LIRR spokesman Brian Dolan. The train sat on the tracks for 45 minutes with four trains behind it.
A low-voltage line on the electric train had caused a valve to release air brake pressure, which, in turn, triggered the emergency brake to lock. “We had people there working on it,” Dolan said.
However, the breakdown contributed to about 22 trains being late an average of 22 minutes through Jamaica.
Many riders had to wait much longer. Rick Lanese said it usually takes him about two hours to get home to Kings Park, but instead it took nearly four.
“All the trains were screwed up and they couldn’t give any information out,” Lanese said.
Lanese described a near riot scene at Jamaica as LIRR employees in the information booth refused to answer questions and many customers were not told which train was on which track. MTA police were called in, but no arrests were made.
Up to 80 riders did not make the connection to the Port Jefferson line at Jamaica and some were delayed for almost two hours, Dolan said.
“Our records indicate that announcements were made,” Dolan said, adding the railroad is investigating. “We are talking to everyone involved” from supervisors to staff.
Problems continued throughout the system, including on the Babylon line where commuters were told to meet buses at Babylon for connections farther east. Haynes said dozens of riders got off the train and were met by a minibus with 22 seats.
“People were incredulous,” Haynes said. Dolan said the railroad had ordered five buses but four minibuses showed up and “that didn’t provide enough room.” The railroad is investigating the mishap.