Workers pumping water out of a flooded subway tunnel near Dykman Street in Manhattan. (EPA)
The J train began running across the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan tonight, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said even more trains may link Brooklyn and the city before midnight.
The J train stops at Essex Street. The latest addition comes as a relief for straphangers forced to endure long waits for shuttle buses in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which flooded large parts of the subway system and caused unprecedented damage.
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Earlier, 4 and 5 trains began running between Manhattan and Brooklyn and the 6 train was restored to service, a day after service on the 7 line between Manhattan and Queens was began running.
More help may be on the way: The MTA tweeted, “Crews are still pushing to restore service on additional subway lines between Brooklyn and Manhattan before midnight.”
The authority noted that the G train tunnel suffered extensive flooding from Newtown Creek, and remains off-line for the foreseeable future while crews try and pump water out.
All of the city’s subway lines except the G are running in some fashion today, although downtown service on nearly all lines end at 34th Street.
The Staten Island Railway also resumed a limited schedule today, and the Staten Island Ferry yesterday went back in operation for the first time since the storm.
The Long Island Railroad is running a normal weekend schedule on its four largest branches, Port Washington, Ronkonkoma, Babylon and Huntington, the MTA said on its website.
Metro-North restored full service on its Hudson Line, and service was restored yesterday for most of its New Haven and Harlem lines.
Mayor Bloomberg yesterday lifted HOV restrictions on all vehicles entering into Manhattan.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said crews pumping out water from the flooded system have been making good progress, and noted that the storm brought the worst damage the subways have ever had.
With AP and Post Staff