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Calls For Second Tunnel Grow After Third NJ Transit Service Disruption This Week

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Trains are back on schedule for New Jersey Transit after a switch problem Friday disrupted morning service for commuters. 

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An Amtrak switch problem caused delays of up to 30 minutes for the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Midtown Direct trains in and out of New York's Penn Station.

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Penny Bassett-Hackett, NJ Transit spokeswoman, says it took about 10 minutes to fix the problem.

NJ Transit riders endured three rush hour delays this week thanks to two separate derailments.

The first one happened Tuesday when a Trenton-bound train derailed as it was leaving Penn Station.

Crews worked overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning to repair a track that was damaged after the two cars derailed.

Commuters Wednesday morning faced delays of up to an hour because repairs weren't finished.

The latest derailment took place Thursday night when an Amtrak derailment blocked NJ Transit trains from making it out of the train yard to Penn Station.

The tracks have all been repaired, but many commuters remain angry.

New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg is among those calling for the project to build a second tunnel to be revived.

Last year, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie cancelled the Hudson River ARC Tunnel project that would have included two more tunnels under the river to relieve congestion.

Lautenberg released a statement saying "these delays are just going to become more commonplace in the future as a result of Governor Christie's cancellation of the project."

Christie agrees a second rail tunnel is needed, but says the project would come at too great an expense to the state.

What do you think about these latest problems with NJ Transit? Do you think a new tunnel is needed? Sound off below in our comments section...

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