New York’s airports slowly began to open up this evening following massive delays, closures and cancellations after a blizzard dumped upwards of 20 inches of snow on the tristate area.
Both Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports reopened this evening, and while some flights were listed as on time, there were still some delays. Flights at Newark International Airport resumed just before 7 p.m.
Even though the clogged airports started to resume activity, commuters trying to get home by rail this evening were still in for a tough ride.
Subways and buses are running, but the MTA is reporting that service had been suspended on outdoor sections of the A, C, E, B, D, F, M, J, Z, N, Q and R lines. There were also service changes on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and L lines.
MTA bus service has been suspended as the city gets to plowing the roads. Currently, there are 1,029 buses stuck around the five boroughs.
NJ Transit said its rail service into and out of New York was suspended due to a signal problem in the vicinity of Penn Station. The problem also is affecting Amtrak service.
NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said Amtrak is working to fix the problem and he expects it to be short-lived. The problem occurred around 4 p.m.
VIDEO: NEW YORK TRAINS SUSPENDED, DISABLED
Stessel said four NJ Transit trains are being held at Penn Station. He said one inbound train is being towed into New York.
Stessel said the impact is less than it would be on a normal weekday rush hour because the agency has been running on a reduced schedule due to the snowstorm and ridership is light.
As for the NJ Transit buses, relief will not come until Tuesday, as service is expected to resume at 12:01 a.m.
The blizzard had already wreaked havoc on all commuters looking to get to work this morning.
All Long Island Rail Road remained suspended system-wide in both directions due to the blizzard. NYC Transit said it would honor LIRR tickets for subway service at Penn Station, Atlantic Terminal and Jamaica.
LIRR officials said the railroad would continue throughout the morning to operate equipment trains to clear snow from the tracks in an effort to run trains later in the day.
Limited service was restored this afternoon on Metro-North’s Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines. Trains will operate hourly and make all stops.
Overnight, it wasn’t any easier for subway riders. Straphangers were stuck for an astounding six hours on an A train in Queens that was stalled in a snow drift near JFK as a result of the blizzard that hit the city.
NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said snow and ice on the third rail stalled the Manhattan-bound train — loaded with weary airport travelers — between the Aqueduct and Rockaway Blvd. stations.
Christopher Mullen, one of those on the stalled train, was returning from a vacation in Cancun, Mexico. He said straphangers were stuck for without food, water or heat.
“I just huddled with my girlfriend,” Mullen said after he finally made it home and took a hot shower. “We just tried to stay close. I was not dressed appropriately for the weather at all.”
Asked about the stranded train, MTA Chairman Jay Walder said, “We will of course take a look at that situation after the storm. I know it wasn’t comfortable.”
A rescue train was sent to the stalled train after some 500 passengers had been stranded at about 1 a.m.
A second A train, partially stuck at the Broad Channel stop, was also stalled overnight because of snow on the third rail.
Seaton said the trains had been pulled into stations and that no other trains were stuck anywhere in the sprawling system.
WEATHER TAKES THE WIND OUT OF SALES
PASSENGERS STUCK ON SUBWAYS STALLED IN SNOW DRIFTS
Central Park was hit with 20 inches of snow, the sixth biggest storm in city history, between Sunday morning and this morning.
Mayor Bloomberg said the city had 17,000 plows working on the streets starting at 7 p.m. last night.
“Things could have been far worse and they are working in our favor,” he said during an afternoon news conference.
The city was also assisted by plows from the Department of Environmental Protection, he said.
“There’s no reason for anybody to panic,” assured the mayor.
Bloomberg repeated his plea for residents to stay off the roads and to use mass transit when traveling.
“It’s a nice time to stay at home and enjoy the family,” he said.
With Post Wires