Long Island, NY - September 15, 2015 - Because of a freight train that derailed west of Hicksville Station this afternoon, the Long Island Rail Road is advising customers to anticipate delays and cancelations during today’s P.M. rush hour.
The derailed train cars are blocking one of the two tracks that are shared by trains of the Ronkonkoma Branch and Port Jefferson Branch. As a result, the LIRR will be able to operate trains over only one of its usual two tracks between Westbury and Hicksville. Other branches will be impacted as well, as the railroad works systemwide to readjust its equipment and available train slots within the new operating constraints.
All westbound service from Port Jefferson, Huntington and Ronkonkoma to Jamaica will be canceled between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and the railroad is canceling about one third of normal eastbound rush hour service. Some eastbound trains will bypass Carle Place and Westbury. Customers for those two stations who are on a train that bypasses them will be able to catch a bus at Hicksville for service to the stations.
After 8 p.m., the LIRR will continue to operate with reduced service throughout the evening and overnight hours as crews work to re-rail the derailed train and repair hundreds of feet of damaged rails.
Customers traveling during the rush hour and overnight tonight should pay attention to the news media for the latest updates, monitor Service Status on the MTA’s website, subscribe to email and text alerts, follow @LIRR on Twitter, and listen for announcements at stations.
At approximately 1:10 p.m., two cars of a westbound 16-car freight train carrying construction debris and operated by New York & Atlantic Railway derailed west of the LIRR’s Hicksville Station. There were no injuries as a result of the derailment, and no hazardous materials were being transported. Crews are working to re-rail the derailed cars, a process that involves a crane and could take several hours. They will then inspect the rails and repair any damage.
The LIRR had suspended train service on those two branches for about 40 minutes after the incident, but was able to restore limited service after inspecting the tracks to ensure that one of the two tracks remains usable.
For the latest service updates, customers are advised to monitor Service Status on MTA.info, subscribe to the LIRR’s email and text message alerts at mymtaalerts.com, or follow the LIRR’s social media channels.