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LIRR Trains Collide Near Jamaica Station; Service Snagged For Hours

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Westbound service on the Long Island Rail Road was suspended for hours early Friday evening after two trains collided and windows were left shattered.

As late as 11 p.m., major delays still persisted.

As CBS2's Matt Kozar reported, the incident happened around 6:30 p.m. near the Jamaica station, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

LIRR President Patrick Nowakowski said westbound train No. 2709, approaching Jamaica Station from Montauk, ran into train No. 1730 leaving Jamaica Station and heading east. The trains were moving at a slow speed.

"Just think of, like, your automobile – the left front corner of the train hit the side of the other train," Nowakowski said.

No one was hurt, according to the FDNY.

The eastbound train was evacuated through the last four cars onto the platform, while the train headed west was evacuated using planks leading to the other train, Nowakowski said.

It took nearly two hours for first responders to get all the passengers off of both trains, Nowakowski said. There was no immediate estimate as to how many people were on the train.

Passenger Daniel Ingram was on board at the time.

"We were on the train. I was on the second car coming back from Long Island to New York. All of a sudden, the train stopped," Ingram said. "I had friends in the first car that came back into the second car and told me that the train had collided with another train. There was broken glass."

Passenger Bryan Fields said he was on the other train, heading west. He said it appeared the other train was coming straight at his, but then it slid along the side.

Westbound LIRR service was suspended for hours following the incident, while eastbound service was delayed. By 8 p.m., westbound service had been restored with delays of one hour.

PHOTOS: LIRR Collision Near Jamaica Station

Passengers waiting at the station found themselves stuck.

"My line was on there and then it disappeared. So your guess is as good as mine," said Judy Mathur as she looked at a schedule board. "That's why we're going to take a different line as long -- as that one doesn't disappear."

Mathur was traveling with her 6-year-old son at the time.

Meanwhile, commuter Susan Kindyacully said she did not expect to get home until midnight.

The MTA was investigating the incident late Friday. The Federal Railroad Administration was on the scene helping, Nowakowski said.

"We will now begin an investigation of why they were able to collide," Nowakowski said.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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