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Broken Signal Breeds Rush Hour Chaos At Penn Station: "It's Honestly Not Safe"
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Feb 27, 2020
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Courtesy of Dave
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Feb 27, 2020
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Rush hour chaos is brewing at Penn Station Thursday evening, after a signal problem on New Jersey Transit delayed all service into and out of the transit hub.
As of 6:15 p.m., all trains leaving Penn Station were subject to one hour delays, according to a spokesperson for NJ Transit. The issues kicked off at around 5:30 pm; fifteen minutes later, not a single train scheduled to leave the station was boarding.
Commuters are describing dangerously crowded and overheated conditions throughout Penn Station.
"I had to go on the upper level due the extreme heat from the lower level from so many passengers waiting to catch their train," said Dave M, a 38-year-old air quality auditor who commutes on NJ Transit. "It’s honesty not safe for passengers if a fire broke out."
A spokesperson for Amtrak said trains were currently experiencing "residual delays" to an NJ Transit train that is stopped on the tracks.
NJ Transit is currently cross-honoring Path trains at 33rd Street, Hoboken, and Newark Penn Station. Those who must access Penn Station should use the 8th Avenue concourse.
NJ Transit commuters have had a particularly rough time lately, with several instances this month that have crippled travel between NYC and New Jersey. Earlier this morning, commuters launched a petition calling for the NJ Transit CEO to step down.
Until then, head to Pennsy (while you still can).
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penn station
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Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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