Another day, another commuter nightmare.
Trains are delayed in New Jersey, Rockland County and Connecticut, because of a fatal accident, signal problems and a power outage, officials said.
At least two New Jersey Transit trains were delayed because of a death on the tracks in Spring Valley in Rockland County, authorities said. Police are investigating the cause and the victim’s identity has not been released.
Riders on Metro-North’s New Haven Line awoke to delays, crowding and frustration Thursday morning because of disruptions that began Wednesday.
The problem could stretch through the next three weeks, officials said.
Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and MTA officials urged riders to work from home, if necessary, since the crippled line will have extremely limited diesel train service that can accommodate as little as 10 percent of the usual ridership, according to some estimates.
Other estimates say the work-around will carry 33 percent of the line’s regular commuters.
Bus services is running in Waterbury and limited shuttle service is operating in Danbury and New Canaan, according to the MTA.
More details on scheduling and shuttles are available on MTA’s website.
Malloy plans to hold a press conference at the State Emergency Operations Center in Hartford at 4 p.m. Thursday for an update.
New Haven Line tickets continue to be cross honored on the Harlem Line. Conditions on that line are expected to be crowded from the overflow.
Officials are blaming a failed Con Edison power line and said they are saying that it could take up to three weeks to restore service between Grand Central Station and Stamford. Workers are still in the early stages and trying to assess the damage, officials said.
“Customers should seek alternate service and expect crowded conditions,” Malloy said.
In New Jersey, signal problems caused 20 minute delays on PATH trains throughout the whole system, beginning around 9:25 a.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The agency said the problem had been fixed as of 9:45 a.m.
The problems are compounded by the fact that local governments had urged commuters to use public transportation to avoid traffic congestion from the United Nations General Assembly.