By Richard Weizel and Edith Honan
MILFORD, Conn./NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) – Thousands of
Connecticut commuters faced delays and crowded trains on Monday
as Metro-North workers scrambled to repair damage on the United
States’ busiest rail line, caused by the collision of two
trains.
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said commuters should
expect “serious disruptions” throughout the week and encouraged
riders to stay home if possible.
On Friday evening, a Metro-North passenger train derailed
and then was struck by another commuter train between Fairfield
and Bridgeport, Connecticut, injuring more than 70 people and
halting full service. The site of the crash is about 50 miles
(80 km) northeast of New York City.
Despite the disruption, the commute ran reasonably smoothly
on Monday, with many commuters staying home, driving to train
lines that had not been disrupted or taking a shuttle-bus
service.
“CT Transit and MTA bus as well as several smaller local
operators have provided about 120 buses and the operation has
been running smoothly, but ridership has been very light.
Apparently most commuters heeded Gov. Malloy’s suggestion that
they stay home,” said Marjorie Anders, a spokeswoman for the
Metropolitan Transit Authority, a New York state agency that
operates Metro North Railroad.
Service along the corridor by Amtrak, the U.S. passenger
rail service, also has been suspended indefinitely.
The New York-New Haven line is the busiest rail line in the
country, serving 125,000 commuters a day, said Judd Everhart, a
spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Regular service ran from the Stamford and South Norwalk
stations to Grand Central Terminal in New York. Limited service
ran from Westport.
State transportation officials said more than 2,000 feet
(600 meters) of track must be repaired and replaced.
(Reporting by Edith Honan; Editing by Dan Grebler)
