NEW JERSEY (WABC) — Delays and disruptions left NJ Transit riders angry and stranded Tuesday night, with some commuters reporting lengthy waits, canceled trains and little information as they tried to get home.
Passengers packed into New York Penn Station described overcrowded conditions and stifling heat as they waited for trains that were delayed or, in some cases, disappeared from departure boards.
“I’ve been sweating since I got here,” rider Frank Fiorilli said. “It’s 80-something degrees in here and it’s just been a miserable experience.”
Frustration grew as commuters worried about getting home hours later than expected.
“How would you feel if you wanted to get home to your family?” one rider said. “If I don’t catch that train, I’m going to get home at 11 o’clock at night to be back at work at 7 in the morning.”
Another passenger summed up the evening simply: “It’s been hell.”
Even Eyewitness News anchor Michelle Charlesworth was caught in the delays.
Commuters also complained about a lack of timely information from NJ Transit, saying they struggled to find updates as service problems mounted.
The disruptions came just one day before a systemwide 3% fare increase is set to take effect on July 1, a timing many riders criticized.
“They’re raising the fares and service is getting worse,” one commuter said.
As tracks were finally announced, crowds rushed for elevators and platforms, hoping to secure a spot on a train home.
“You’re just kind of waiting — sitting ducks,” rider Zachary Chin said. “Hoping one of these doors open up and be like, ‘This is your train.'”
NJ Transit said multiple lines were affected by a signal issue near Newark Broad Street Tuesday night.
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