A contractor working in Queens accidentally cut through cables that control part of the signal system earlier today, causing headaches for commuters and train cancellations.
The Amtrak cables were cut while the worker was doing excavation work in the Sunnyside Yards for the East Side Access Project about 3:10 p.m. in the Sunnyside yards, according to a LIRR spokesman.
The two remaining tunnels with working signals were used to take Long Islanders home from New York City, while those coming into Penn Station were asked to catch the subway in Jamaica and Woodside, the spokesman said. Cross fares were honored.
Some trains were cancelled, causing initial delays of up to 30 minutes.
Penn Station was slightly less crowded than on a normal day because of the Rosh Hashannah holiday, authorities said.
Normal service was restored in the early evening, and Amtrak is handling the repairs.
The East Side Access project will connect the LIRR with Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, shortening time for commuters who work on the East Side and live in Long Island or Queens.