NEW YORK CITY: New Yorkers can breathe a sigh of relief as the Metro-North Railroad gears up to operate on a “near-normal weekday schedule” from 23rd October 2023, following a weekend marked by service disruptions caused by a mudslide. New York Governor Kathy Hochul made the encouraging announcement, highlighting the dedicated efforts of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) team in ensuring the safe and reliable service New Yorkers rely on.
The disruption began over the weekend when a mudslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, led to the suspension of service on the Hudson Line, specifically between Croton-Harmon and Tarrytown. In response, a team of crew members labored around the clock to clear away a significant volume of soil, debris, rock, and cement walls that had blocked two of the Hudson Line’s four tracks. While the initial cleanup efforts have cleared the way for the resumption of service, work on the remaining two tracks is expected to continue over the next few days. Crew members will rebuild a 140-foot section of the third rail that was damaged by the mudslide, ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the railroad.
As a result of these developments, Metro-North will temporarily cancel four out of the 158 daily trains on the Hudson Line. Passengers are advised to plan their commutes accordingly:
-The 6:42 a.m. departure from Poughkeepsie, which arrives at Grand Central at 8:18 a.m., will be temporarily suspended. Passengers can consider the 6:48 a.m. departure or the 6:25 a.m. departure as alternatives.
-Those who typically take the 7:08 a.m. departure from Tarrytown will be accommodated by the 6:45 a.m. train from Croton-Harmon, which will make all stops of both trains.
-The 5:30 p.m. and 6:11 p.m. Poughkeepsie express trains from Grand Central will also be temporarily out of service. Passengers can opt for the 5:32 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. trains as substitutes.
Additionally, during the morning and evening rush hours, reverse-peak trains will bypass Philipse Manor or Scarborough stations. Customers heading north in the morning are advised to take a northbound train to Ossining or Croton-Harmon to catch a southbound train, while those looking to travel south from these stations in the evening should ride a southbound train to Tarrytown and transfer to a northbound train.
Amtrak passengers should note that there are currently no estimates for when service will resume, potentially impacting the Monday morning commute for thousands of New Yorkers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the mudslide, and no trains were stranded during this incident, according to officials.
