According to a report on WNBC.com, the East Side is suffering from a major power outage, and subway service on the Lexington Ave. line has been suspended. Nothing like a big power outage right at the start of rush hour.
This should make getting home a huge headache for, oh, millions of people. Stay tuned for more. It’s a good thing the Yankees aren’t playing a home game tonight.
Update 4:15 p.m.: The SubChat message board has a thread about the outage. Reports are trickling in as to its severity.
Update 4:20 p.m.: CBS 880 AM is reporting that power could be restored within a half an hour. Traffic lights are out from the Triborough Bridge to about 68th St. on the East Side. Subway service is suspended between 68th and the Bronx on the 4/5/6 and in the Bronx on the D line. Find an alternate commute.
Update 4:23 p.m.: CBS says the following subway lines are affected: 4/5/6/E/V/D. Trains will move to the next station very slowly and no further. Expect long commutes home tonight and search alternate routes.
Update 4:27 p.m.: Sewell Chan at The Times’ City Room blog has more on the power outage. Chan’s post explains why the trains can move into the stations but not through tunnels. Chan also reports that Metro-North is delayed this evening as well.
Update 4:39 p.m.: CBS radio reports that service on the Z line has been suspended as well. It sounds like all Metro-North branches were affected, and severe thunderstorms are about to pass through the area.
Update 4:52 p.m.: The power is coming back on, and ConEd is reporting that the Hell’s Gate substation across the river from Randall’s Island took a lightening hit. No word on public transportation service yet.
Update 5:09 p.m.: CBS Radio reports that subway service has been restored on the 4/5/6/D/E/V/Z lines. Leave extra time for your commute though. It’s a bad sign that the power blew on the first really hot day of the year. It could be a long summer.
Update 5:23 p.m.: New York City Transit is telling people to delay their commutes for about 30 minutes to let trains get back on schedule. Right now, trains aren’t where they should be on the subway system. The delays are affecting the 4/5/6 trains, the E/V from the East Side to Queens and the D up to Yankee Stadium. If you use those lines, find an alternate route. Metro-North is mostly back on time as well.
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[…] NYC looking to commute home on the subways on the East Side or via Metro-North, there’s been a massive power outage, and rail service is down. Check my subway blog for updates this afternoon. Good thing […]
Craptacular. Stranded at 53rd and 3rd with three convenient options: The V, E, and 6.
On the plus side, I am working late, maybe it will be back on in a few hours.
If you’re there late, the power should be back by then. I have no idea if the trains will run smoothly though.
Looks like East is still down, lights in my buildind went out for a bit.
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