APRIL 6, 2015
At least one person was hurt during the evacuation and
thousands more had their morning commute stymied because of a stalled train
that forced a portion of the 7 line to be suspended between Queens and
Manhattan Monday, authorities said.
No 7 trains were running in either direction
between Queensboro Plaza and Times Square-42 Street for some two
hours, transit authorities said. Service resumed with delays as of 10:45 a.m.,
MTA said.
The problem arose about 8:30 a.m. when a device known as a
sliding shoe, which makes contact with the electrified third rail to transmit
power the train, fell out of position as the train passed through the tunnel,
an MTA spokeswoman said.
The shoe, as a result, touched a protective board, which
caused smoke to develop. When the
conductor hopped out to see what was the matter, he spotted smoke coming off
the third-rail protection board, according to an MTA spokesperson.
The FDNY then brought in a rescue train to evacuate
passengers from the stranded one. No injuries were initially reported.
The train was carrying nearly 550 passengers, the
spokesperson said.
A rescue train was deployed to the stalled train, MTA said.
Those hundreds of passengers were evacuated and taken on the rescue train to
Grand Central Station.
No 7 because of a mech prob and smoke on tunnel into Queens.
Rescue train needed. Questions, yes #mta #nyc pic.twitter.com/wh8y3hiSQg
— Greg Mocker (@gregmocker) April 6, 2015
Commuters should give themselves additional time to get to
their destinations, the MTA said. Delays are to be expected on the N, Q and R
lines.
Commuters reported “massive” crowds and delays at Queensboro
Plaza and Grand Central, with hundreds — if not thousands — of straphangers
forced to use the E, M and other lines to accommodate the service stoppage.
Source: pix11.com