Thousands who rely on the Hoboken terminal in New Jersey may face longer than usual commutes and heavy crowds on Friday as investigators try to determine why a commuter train crashed into the station, killing a woman and injuring more than 100 people.
NJ Transit train service in and out of the Hoboken terminal, one of the busiest transit hubs in the New York City area, will be suspended on Friday, a day after a train plowed through the station and crashed during the morning rush hour.
NJ Transit commuters should expect to use buses and other forms of transportation on Friday and plan for extra travel time and heavy crowds, the agency said in a statement.
US National Transportation Safety Board officials on Friday will continue their investigation at the wreckage. They expect the investigation to take seven to 10 days, NTSB vice chairman Bella Dinh-Zarr said.
Investigators were to retrieve the event recorder, which tracks speed, braking and other data, from the rear of the train on Thursday night, Dinh-Zarr said during a news conference.
Train #1614, originating from Spring Valley, New York, was at the end of its hour-long journey when it hit the Hoboken terminal building at about 08:45 a.m. (1245 GMT) on Thursday. The collision toppled support columns and created chaos as witnesses described terrifying scenes of damage.
The crash killed a 34-year-old Hoboken woman, the New Jersey medical examiner’s office said. The crash also injured 114 people, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told CNN.
The train’s engineer, or driver, was injured and taken to hospital. He was later released, officials said, without providing details.
Media identified the engineer as Thomas Gallagher, citing unnamed sources, and said he was cooperating with investigators. (Reuters)