For the third day in a row, electrical problems in the rail tunnels under the Hudson River this week delayed the commutes of tens of thousands of New Jersey Transit riders.
According to a report in the New York Times, the disruption stemmed from problems in the overhead electrical wires that power the trains, which suspended New Jersey Transit service into and out of Pennsylvania Station in Manhattan and caused hourlong delays. Power was shut down to both tubes of the Hudson River Tunnel around 5:45 a.m. after a switch that controls a high-voltage cable malfunctioned.
Different problems with the same overhead catenary system also snarled New Jersey Transit commuting on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Both heat and brittle electrical systems could have played a role, but transportation experts said the problems "pointed to broad failures to invest in repairs and build systems that could accommodate everyday glitches," the New York Times reported.
