L.I.R.R. Train Collision, at least 33 Injured

In the early weeks of October, passengers riding the Long Island Rail Road (L.I.R.R.) commuter train began to hear loud sounds, feel robust vibrations and see wild sparks while glancing outside their train’s window. Then an abrupt impact occurred. As a result, the passengers were confined in the blackened trains while waiting for rescue for an hour after two L.I.R.R. trains collided.

The collision resulted in injuries to at least thirty-three passengers, seriously injuring four. Of those injured, 26 were passengers and seven were employees. Additionally, close to 100 passengers were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

One of the trains involved was a single-car maintenance car and the other was a 12-car L.I.R.R. commuter train traveling eastward. The commuter train was occupied with about 600 people total at the time of the impact with the maintenance car.

According to reports, the collision occurred shortly after 9 p.m., when the maintenance train entered into the track space of the 12-car commuter train, between New Hyde Park and Merillon Avenue stations, resulting in the trains sideswiping one another. The reasons as to why the maintenance train entered into this track space and other circumstances surrounding the collision are being investigated by the Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

This startling train collision comes a short time after from New Jersey Transit commuter rail accident. That accident occurred when a train barrel into the Hoboken Terminal, which resulted in over a 100 injuries and the untimely death of a woman.