Service on the Port Washington branch of the Long Island Rail Road, which serves most of northeast Queens, was suspended on Aug. 1 due to a train derailment just west of Woodside.
According to the LIRR, a train’s axle jumped the track at the Harold Interlocking railroad junction. Service between Penn Station and Woodside is suspended in both directions and service between Woodside and Port Washington is experiencing cancellations.
The LIRR recommends that westbound riders board trains from Port Washington to Woodside, then transfer to any westbound LIRR train for service to Penn Station. Eastbound riders from Penn Station can transfer at Woodside to an E/B shuttle train for service to Flushing Main Street to Port Washington.
Reports say that the derailed train was carrying between 400 and 500 passengers. No injuries were reported and all of the passengers were safely moved to another train.
Port Washington Branch temporarily suspended in both directions due to a train with a derailed axle west of Woodside. MTAPD and LIRR personnel are en route. NYC Transit will cross-honor LIRR tickets on the subway at Penn and the ‘7’ subway at Woodside and Flushing/Main Street.
— LIRR (@LIRR) August 1, 2018
NYC Transit will be cross-honoring LIRR tickets on the subway at Penn Station and the 7 Line stations at Woodside and Flushing/Main Street. It is unclear at this time how the derailment will affect the evening’s rush hour.
Customers who were onboard the train with the derailed axle have been safely moved to another train and are en route to their destinations. LIRR personnel are evaluating potential impacts to service during this evening’s rush hour. We will provide more info as soon as possible.
— LIRR (@LIRR) August 1, 2018
Construction work is ongoing at the Harold Interlocking station in connection with the East Side Access project, which will eventually link the LIRR with Grand Central Station. The ongoing construction resulted in numerous schedule changes on the Port Washington Branch implemented in July that resulted in six daily trains being canceled through Labor Day.
Updated at 4:30 p.m.
