Limited service on the 1 and 3 lines resumed Friday afternoon, the MTA and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced, a day after two trains derailed on the Upper West Side.
The 1 train will run in both directions from Van Cortlandt Park-242 Street to 96 Street, and from Times Sq-42 Street to South Ferry, the governor and the MTA said. The 3 train will run in both directions from Harlem-148 Street to 96 Street, and from Times Sq-42 Street to New Lots Av. Shuttle bus service will be provided for the skipped stops in between on both lines. Limited service was also restored on the 2 line. Southbound 2 trains are running on the local track from 96 St to Chambers St. Northbound 2 trains continue to run along the 5 line between Nevins St and 149 St-Grand Concourse.
While our crews continue to make repairs to a train that derailed at 96 St, we have restored service at additional stations on the 1/2/3 lines.
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) January 5, 2024
There are still (and will continue to be at least through today) significant impacts to service. Details: pic.twitter.com/RkJMgtoxyu
In a press briefing Friday afternoon, the National Transportation Safety Board provided a timeline for the incident as part of their investigation into the incident, in which two 1 trains bumped into each other and derailed near the 96th Street station Thursday afternoon.
Before the incident, the NTSB said an “unruly passenger” had pulled the emergency brakes on one of the two trains that was later involved in the derailment. The train stopped and crews worked to reset the brakes. When the brakes on the third of the train’s 10 cars could not be restored, power was shut off to the first five cars of the train, and crews were instructed to release the passengers at the 79th Street station and move the train to the 240th Street rail yard, according to the NTSB.
“At this point, there are three people on the train, three crew members,” said Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board. “The front five cars have no brakes, no power. They’re essentially rolling stock. But the back five cars are operational. One crew member began pushing the whole train, operating from the sixth car, while the other two operated as flaggers, eyes and ears, from the front.”
After passing through various signals, the out-of-service train eventually struck a train carrying hundreds of passengers at a crossover and both trains derailed, the NTSB said. The reason for the collision is still under investigation.
The NTSB and the Transport Workers Union said in separate briefings Friday that there is damage to the trains involved in the incident. The Transport Workers Union said in their briefing that there does not appear to be any damage to the tracks, but the NTSB said later in the afternoon that there is a lot of damage along the tracks.
The NTSB said their investigations would have been improved by data recorders, as well as inward and outward facing cameras on transit systems, which New York City Transit trains do not have. In 2015, the NTSB recommended to the Federal Transit Administration that these items be federally required, but the NTSB said no action was taken.
In the meantime, MTA crews are working on a full restoration of service for the 1, 2, and 3 trains.
Approximately 25 people suffered minor injuries during Thursday’s derailment, according to officials. They were inspected at the scene and taken to nearby hospitals.
MTA officials described the collision between the 1 train and the stalled-out train as happening at a low speed.
Emergency responders evacuated the derailed train with passengers and another commuter train behind it, officials said.