'Summer Of Hell': Your Guide To 2017's Transit Woes

NEW YORK CITY, NY — Penn Station's "Summer of Hell" hasn't even begun, yet commuting in New York City has been a disaster for months. There have been so many dangerous, torturous and crazy situations that it’s getting hard to keep track of what happened when, where and why.

Which train derailment do you mean? Which stampede of terrified subway passengers are you referring to? Who brought a wild animal on the subway now?

We can’t fix Penn Station, or update the subway’s signal systems. But we can give voice to your frustration, hold those in charge accountable, and find creative ways to make commuting more pleasant. Patch is partnering with WNYC and Gothamist to do just that. Join "We the Commuters," and you’ll receive tips, inspiration, and a megaphone for your voice this summer.

In the meantime, here is a collection of some of the shutdowns, breakdowns and meltdowns from 2017 so far.

ACCIDENTS

Amtrak Acela Derails, Sideswipes NJ Transit Train in Penn Station

What Happened: Several cars on the Acela train derailed at low speed, struck an NJ Transit train on the Montclair-Boonton line, and left several passengers with minor injuries.

• Trains Impacted: Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional service as well as the NJ Transit service.
• Stop: Penn Station
• When: Morning rush hour, March 24
• Excuse: Faulty tracks caused the Acela derailment, and the following NJ Transit derailment, Amtrak admitted.

Read the full story here.

NJ Transit Train Derails in Penn Station, Injures Five

What Happened: A train from Trenton carrying 1,200 people experienced a "slow-speed derailment" in Penn Station. Five people received non-life-threatening injuries.

• Trains Impacted: All New Jersey Transit service and some LIRR lines
• Stop: Penn Station
• When: Morning rush hour, April 3
• Excuse: A faulty track support caused the derailment and Amtrak accepted the blame.
• Response: New Jersey's Governor Chris Christie called for New Jersey Transit to halt all payments to Amtrak for use of the lines, which Amtrak owns. Amtrak announces a summer program of extensive overhauls – which promises to be a "Summer of Hell" for thousands of commuters.

Read the full story here.

Excessive Lead Found In Jackson Heights 7 Train Station

What Happened: A report found that toxic paint chips, with 50 times the legal amount of allowed lead, have been falling from an elevated station into schools, parks and nearby soil.

• Stop: 52nd Street Station
• When: April 12
• Excuse: The MTA said it already has a program in place to provide periodical inspections to train stations and adjacent parks, and that the paint chips are disposed of in accordance with EPA regulations.
• Response: Representatives proposed a bill to demand MTA test with greater regularity for lead paint.

Read the full story here.

Power Outage At Dekalb Avenue Causes Massive Delays

What Happened: A power outage at DeKalb Avenue coincided with mechanical issues at other stations and left Brooklyn commuters stranded on platforms so packed, they were reportedly "dangerous.”

• Trains Impacted: B, D, F, N, Q, R and W trains
• Stop: Dekalb Avenue Station
• When: Morning rush hour, May 9
• Excuse: The MTA blamed a Con Ed power outage.
• Response: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams called for the state to conduct an independent review of the MTA.

Read the full story here.

Brand New Second Avenue Escalators Break Down

• What Happened: Water damage caused escalators at the East 83rd Street entrance to break down just five months after the brand new Second Avenue station entrance opened.
• Trains Impacted: Q train
• Stop: 86th Street Station
• When: Morning rush hour, May 17
• Excuse: A faulty fire alarm triggered the sprinklers which damaged the stairs.
• Response: The MTA politely suggested commuters enter the station at East 86th Street.

Read the full story here.

Hunter Student Misses Commencement Because He’s Stuck On An E Train

What Happened: Hunter student Jerich Alcantara missed commencement when his E train stalled underground for 90 minutes. The nursing student’s fellow passengers held an impromptu ceremony and video of the event went viral.

• Subway Line: E line in Queens
• When: Morning rush hour, May 30
• Excuse: The E train stalled when a mechanical malfunction triggered the emergency brakes.
• Response: The MTA transferred passengers to a "rescue train," which Alcantara told Buzzfeed was delayed because of signal problems.

Read the full story here.

F Train Breaks Down, Becomes Sauna Subway

• What Happened: Passengers were trapped in a steamy, hot and crowded subway car for more than an hour. The sweaty straphangers were caught on video prying at the train doors, trying to escape.
• Trains Impacted: F trains
• Stop: Broadway-Lafayette Station
• When: Evening rush hour, June 5
• Excuse: The MTA said in a statement that the southbound F train became "unable to take power.”
• Response: The MTA boasted that "the rail control center and service supervisor responded promptly to this problem."

Read the full story here.

A Train Derails At 125th Street, Injures 34

What Happened: An A train derailed at 125th Street and slammed into a tunnel wall — 34 commuters were injured and dozens more were forced to walk through the darkness to the nearest station.

• Trains Impacted: A, B, C, D trains
• Stop: The 125th Street station at St. Nicholas Avenue
• When: Morning rush hour, June 27th
• Excuse: A maintenance worker left equipment on the tracks which caused the train to derail, the MTA said in a statement.
• Response: The MTA suspended two maintenance supervisors without pay.

Read the full story here.

NJ Transit Train Derails Near Penn Station Days Before Scheduled 'Summer Of Hell'

What Happened: A New Jersey Transit train derailed near Penn Station with nearly 200 people aboard, none of whom were reported injured.

• Trains Impacted: All NJ Transit service was suspended to and from the station
• Stop: Penn Station
• When: After evening rush hour, July 7th

Read the full story here.

Subway Track Fire Injures Nine And Suspends Morning Rush Hour Service

What Happened: A track fire in upper Manhattan trapped D train riders in a subway car and halted traffic for more than an hour. Nine passengers suffered from smoke inhalation.

• Trains Impacted: A B, C, D train service was suspended
• Stop: The 145th Street station at St. Nicholas Avenue
• When: Morning rush hour, July 17th
• Excuse: There was a rubbish fire on the tracks, said the MTA.

Read the full story here.

SCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS

What’s Shutting Down: LIRR, Amtrak and New Jersey Transit rush hour train service will be cut by 20 percent in Penn Station

• How Long: Service will be modified from July 10 through Sept. 1
• Why: Amtrak will make extensive repairs to tracks in and around Penn Station.
• Commuters Affected: 1o,000 daily
• Cost: Unknown, but Governor Cuomo called on Amtrak to foot the bill.

Read the full story here and about a resultant fare break here.

Canarsie Tunnel Shutdown

What’s Shutting Down: L train service in and out of Manhattan

• Where: Stations between Bedford Avenue and Eighth Avenue
• How Long: Service will be suspended for fifteen months, beginning in April 2019
• Why: The MTA will repair damage to the Canarsie tunnel caused by Hurricane Sandy
• Cost: $477 million
• Commuters Affected: 225,000 daily

Read the full story here.

Myrtle Viaduct And Fresh Pond Bridge Shutdown

What’s Shutting Down: M train service in Brooklyn and Queens

• Where: Stations between the Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue
• How Long: Service will be suspended between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue from July 1 to Sept. 1 and between Myrtle Avenue-Broadway and Myrtle-Wyckoff avenues from Sept. 1 to April 30, 2018.
• Why: The MTA will demolish and rebuild the 104-year-old Myrtle Viaduct in Bushwick and the Fresh Pond Bridge in Ridgewood.
• Commuters Affected: 60,000 daily

Read the full story here.

Seven Brooklyn N Train Platforms To Close For More Than A Year

• Where: N trains will skip Fort Hamilton Parkway, New Utrecht Avenue, 18th Avenue, 20th Avenue, Kings Highway, Avenue U and 86th Street.
• How Long: Service will be suspended from July 30 until "late 2018," according to the MTA.
• Why: The century-old stations will get new platforms, brighter lighting, new stairs and a fresh coat of paint.
• Cost: $400 million

Read the full story here.

Elevated N Train Track Shutdown

What’s Shutting Down: N train service in Astoria

• Where: Stations between Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard and Queensboro PlazaHow Long: Service will be suspended eight summer weekends between May and September
• Why: The MTA will replace switches, track panels and girders along the elevated tracks.
• Cost: $12.4 million

Read the full story here.

Clark Street Station Closure

What’s Shutting Down: 2 and 3 train service in and to Brooklyn

• Where: Clark Street Station
• How Long: Every weekend between June 2017 through spring 2018
• Why: The MTA will repair damages to the Clark Street tunnel caused by Hurricane Sandy

Read the full story here.

Prospect Avenue Station Closure

What’s Shutting Down: Prospect Avenue R Train station

• Where: Prospect and Fourth avenues
• How Long: From June 5 through “the next six months.”
• Why: The MTA will make cosmetic upgrades to the stop’s lighting, display screens and charging stations
• Cost: The upgrade is part of a $72 million project to renovate three R train stations in Brooklyn

Read the full story here.

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Photos courtesy of Patrick Corbett, Chelsea Lawrence, @nrik_nyc/Twitter