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LIRR commuters face messy rush hour due to disabled trains in East River tunnel, MTA says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 29, 2026
Modified Apr 29, 2026
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Howard Schnapp / Newsday RM via Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Apr 29, 2026
Modified Apr 29, 2026
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Many Long Island Railroad trains were cancelled or delayed Wednesday morning due to a one-two punch of disabled trains blocking one of the East River tunnels feeding into Penn Station, according to the MTA.
Transit agency officials said an LIRR train was traveling from Jamaica Station to Penn Station around 6:20 a.m. and became stuck in an Amtrak East River tunnel after an engineer reported hitting debris. Officials said all the passengers got off the train safely.
MTA officials said the problem train had moved out of the tunnel by shortly after 11 a.m., but added that delays and cancellations would continue because workers would have to inspect the tracks. The agency said commuters should continue to check its website for service updates.
Earlier Wednesday, an NJ Transit train also got stuck in the same tunnel and was removed, the MTA said. MTA officials did not say what caused that incident.
The rush-hour meltdown is affecting trains on the Babylon, Hempstead, Long Beach, Port Jefferson, Port Washington and Ronkonkoma Branches, as well as the City Terminal Zone, transit officials said.
Some passengers can instead take trains bound for Grand Central and transfer at Jamaica Station to trains bound for Penn Station, the MTA said. The Far Rockaway, Montauk and Hempstead Branches are still operating on or close to schedule.
Amtrak and NJ Transit trains also use the East River tunnels. Track capacity along the corridor is already severely limited because of Amtrak tunnel work.
NJ Transit said there were no residual delays or cancellations on their lines.
This is a developing story and has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
lirr
long island rail road
new york city
penn station
transportation
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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