Officials Investigating Cause Of LIRR Train Collision Near Jamaica Station
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island Rail Road officials are looking into how two trains collided during rush hour Friday evening.
As CBS2's Alex Denis reported, investigators from both the federal Railroad Administration and LIRR are working together to figure out how the two trains collided while moving slowly past each other.
PHOTOS: LIRR Collision Near Jamaica Station
The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. near the Jamaica station, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
"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."
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.
"The left front corner of the train hit the side of the other train," Nowakowski said.
It happened on a section of interlocking rail where trains move from one track to another, Denis reported.
No injuries were reported, but it took first responders nearly two hours to get all of the passengers off of both trains, which included running planks between cars.
"We will now begin an investigation of why they were able to collide," Nowakowski said.
The collision caused massive delays at both Penn Station and Jamaica Station. Some trains were canceled, stranding travelers trying to get home.
"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."
As for the cause of the accident, investigators are now trying to determine if one of the trains derailed before they collided.
Service on the LIRR has since returned to on or close to schedule.
