Thousands Stranded as New Haven Line Shuts Down

Marcus Yam/The New York Times

An Metro-North train conductor explaining the alternative route for passengers headed towards New Haven at Grand Central Terminal on Saturday.

By M. AMEDEO TUMOLILLO and COLIN MOYNIHAN

Published: July 10, 2010

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Marcus Yam/The New York Times

Passengers waiting at Grand Central Terminal on Saturday.

The problems, which began about 4:30 p.m., stranded thousands of people at stations in Connecticut and Westchester County and led to a chaotic scene at Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, where would-be passengers rushed from track to track in an effort to find seats on any New Haven-bound train.

Passengers aboard trains that were in service when the power went out were forced to sit inside cars with no air-conditioning for more than two hours. One trip from New Haven to Grand Central, usually a two-hour journey, took five hours.

A Metro-North spokesman said the problem was caused when the devices on top of several trains that pull electricity from the overhead lines tore down the wires just west of the Greenwich, Conn., station.

Railroad officials were unsure on Saturday how the devices known as pantographs were able to bring down the power lines, but they suspected the recent heat wave might have played a role. That can cause those wires to be very droopy, said the spokesman, Dan Brucker.

Eventually, the lines came down on three of the New Haven lines four tracks, littering them with debris from the pantographs and overhead wires, Mr. Brucker said. The fourth track had already been shut down for maintenance.

Cleanup crews quickly went to work, and one track was cleared by 7:34 p.m. Metro-North soon began running diesel-powered locomotives that provided limited service. Until service with electric-run trains was restored, travelers at Grand Central Terminal had the option of taking a diesel train to Stamford, Conn., then boarding an electric train to their destinations. Shuttle buses also were pressed into service between Grand Central and Stamford.

Mr. Brucker said travel delays lasted up to 90 minutes. Amtrak also reported delays that affected more than 1,500 passengers.

Metro-North reported that service was restored at 10:48 p.m. after two of the three tracks that had been blocked began running electric-powered trains again. The third track was expected to be up and running Sunday.

At Grand Central Terminal about 8:30 p.m., knots of passengers stood gazing at displays that showed train departures.

One electronic announcement told passengers: There is limited train service to Stamford. Customers for Rye, Port Chester, Greenwich change at New Rochelle for bus service. At the same time, however, a man wearing a Metropolitan Transportation Authority uniform was weaving through the crowd saying that the board was not necessarily accurate and that passengers should listen instead for announcements over the public address system.

Agents inside the information kiosk faced a barrage of questions. One woman wanted to know if she had to take a bus to Greenwich; another sought advice on the fastest way to Mamaroneck, in Westchester County. One man indignantly wanted to know why there had been no notification of delays for passengers waiting in Pelham.

Among the people waiting for information was Evan Hindman, 25, of Old Greenwich. Fortunately, I dont have anywhere real important to be, he said. Its just keeping me from getting home. A moment later in a softer voice, almost to himself, he said, Stay calm, stay collected.

Others, however, seemed more anxious about the delay, including Derrick Watson, 20, a photographer who had been working at a wedding in SoHo and said he had to shoot portraits in Branford, Conn. Mr. Watson said he was trying to get to New Haven, at the end of the line, which he estimated would take until about midnight.

Right now, this is aggravating me more than anything, he said. Im trying to make the rush to get back home and get my equipment together for early tomorrow morning.

A passenger traveling from New Haven to New York described being stuck on a train, without air-conditioning, for roughly two hours and 20 minutes. He said the trains doors were opened to let in fresh air, and passengers strenuously objected when the crew tried to close them in advance of the arrival of a backup train.

Connecticut residents who were waiting at Grand Central for trains to take them home wondered aloud about what had caused the delay. We have no idea what caused this, said Susan Slaga, 40, of New Haven.

Just before 9 p.m., a voice echoed through Grand Centrals Great Hall: The 9:07 to New Haven will not be operating today. Please take the 9:11 train on Track 27.

Passengers rushed to Track 27 from every part of the station. Soon it was standing room only.

Before boarding, many of them clustered around a conductor who leaned out a train window answering questions. She explained that the train would make its regularly scheduled stops up to New Rochelle. At that point, she told them, passengers traveling further north would have to transfer to a diesel-powered train that would slowly wend its way to New Haven as a local.

A question rang out: Should I get on here to get to Rye?

Yes.

Inquiries about other stations followed: Stamford, Darien, Westport. Each time, she replied: Get on board. Theres no other way out of here, she said.

A moment later, a bell rang, the doors closed, and the passengers aboard the 9:11 began their long-delayed trip.