By Mike Schnitzel
Mark Vale was among thousands of tired commuters who were waiting to get home and unwind at the end of the work week last Friday. Vale's typical train ride home to Oceanside takes a little over an hour, but his Friday commute turned into a six-hour ordeal after a downed power line caused massive delays during the evening rush hour.
LIRR spokesman James Castle said some 30,000 commuters were delayed when officials suspended service in parts of Nassau County at about 6:30 p.m. to remove a power line that had fallen on the tracks just east of the Valley Stream station.
"It was a total disaster," said Vale, whose train came to a stop just before reaching Valley Stream. "There was supposed to be a diesel train to pick us up, but it never came. It was total mass confusion. Guys were opening up the doors on their own and jumping off the train."
Trains resumed running at just after 10 p.m., Castle explained. Long Island Power Authority spokesman Michael Lowndes said that the downed power line was repaired at about 11:30 p.m. The wire that fell was a static line, which does not carry a current. Lowndes said that an investigation was under way.
LIRR spokeswoman Susan McGowan explained that service on the Babylon, Far Rockaway, West Hempstead and Long Beach lines as well as the Montauk branch was delayed when officials had to shut off power to the third rail at seven stations along those lines. McGowan said that the rails were turned off longer because of commuters who jumped off trains.
Rachel Henenberg of Woodmere said that a lack of communication caused anxiety and frustration among riders on her train.
Castle said that crews "should be telling [riders] about the delays and the reasons for them," he said.
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mschnitzel@liherald.com.
