M.T.A. Reports Subway Train Collision in Manhattan Resulting in Derailment

A Subway Collision in Manhattan: What Happened?

A shocking incident occurred in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon when a subway train carrying about 300 people collided into a work train near West 96th Street. This collision caused the work train to derail, leading to injuries and disruptions in subway service.

Injuries and Impact

According to officials, around 24 people sustained injuries when the northbound 1 train struck the work train at a slow speed. Fortunately, none of the injuries were considered serious, and those affected were taken to hospitals for treatment.

The work train, which had four transit workers on board, was switching tracks when it was struck by the passenger train. This collision caused the work train to derail, adding to the chaos and complications.

Causes and Investigation

During a news conference, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (M.T.A.) officials stated that the crash did not seem to be caused by equipment malfunction. However, they revealed that the work train had been vandalized, with multiple emergency brake cords pulled.

Richard Davey, the president of New York City Transit, the M.T.A. division that operates the subway, expressed concern about the incident. He mentioned that most of the emergency brake cords had been reset, but one remained activated, preventing the train from leaving the station just before the collision occurred.

Mr. Davey assured everyone that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the root causes of the collision and to prevent such incidents in the future.

Service Disruptions and Restoration

As a result of the derailment, subway service on the 1, 2, and 3 lines was suspended throughout most of Manhattan. The M.T.A. confirmed the derailment through a social media post, stating that emergency teams were assisting passengers.

Mr. Davey stated that crews would be working at the station throughout the night to address the aftermath of the incident. He acknowledged that it would take some time to fully restore service due to the complexity of the situation.

Although he hoped to have service restored for rush hour on Wednesday morning, Mr. Davey could not guarantee it. The extent of the damage and necessary repairs would determine the timeline for resuming normal subway operations.

A Survivor’s Experience

Mariame Diallo, a 15-year-old passenger, shared her terrifying experience during the incident. She was on a No. 3 train behind the work train when it derailed. Passengers had to wait for about an hour before they could safely exit the train.

Ms. Diallo mentioned that some people on board resorted to opening the subway doors to access the tracks. Fortunately, she had decided to wait for the next train to ride with her classmates, narrowly avoiding the crash.

Reflecting on her fortunate decision, Ms. Diallo said, “I guess it pays to stick with your friends.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Ana Ley contributed reporting.