MTA Responds To F Train Ride From Hell

LOWER MANHATTAN, NY — Eighteen hours after NYC's instantly historic F train meltdown from hell, state Metropolitan Transportation Authority leaders have issued their official explanation.

MTA officials said in a statement sent to Patch just after noon Tuesday that a southbound F train became "unable to take power" (LOL) around 6:20 p.m. the night before, a little ways north of the Broadway-Lafayette Street subway station in SoHo, Manhattan.

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The ensuing ordeal lasted 45 minutes total, officials said, and passengers aboard the "incident train" (LOL) were informed within 10 minutes of the train losing power that there had been a "mechanical issue."

MTA officials said an initial review showed "the rail control center and service supervisor responded promptly to this problem." However, they also admitted that in general, they "need to continue the push to minimize both the frequency and the duration of system failures and delays." ("That is the goal of the six-point plan announced last month," they added. Although given their track record with points and plans and things, it seems the $1 million "genius" award for outside ideas might end up being a tad more fruitful.)

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, who's in charge of the MTA, hadn't said a word by Tuesday afternoon about the previous night's sweaty, panicked horror show aboard one of his deadbeat NYC subway trains — among around 750 other cars reportedly well past their 40-year functional life span.

Cuomo did, however, have time to announce in a 1,181-word press release Tuesday that the Woodstock Festival site in Bethel, NY, has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

"Woodstock was a pivotal moment in both New York and American history, bringing together the unique art and music in an event that changed this nation's cultural and political landscape," the governor said. "This prestigious recognition will help preserve a priceless New York landmark for current and future generations of New Yorkers."

Anyway. Here's what passengers say happened to them in an F train tunnel beneath Lower Manhattan on Monday night. And here's the MTA's narrative in full:

At 6:20 p.m., a southbound F train was unable to take power north of the Broadway-Lafayette station. A train service supervisor arrived at the incident train approximately 10 minutes later, entered the train from the rear end and informed customers that the train was unable to take power. Announcements at that time by the train crew were also informing customers of the mechanical issue. At approximately 6:45 p.m., the supervisor was able to recharge the train and the train was able to move at slow speed into the Broadway-Lafayette station. At that time, the Rail Control Center instructed the train operator to pull the train a couple of cars outside the station in order to allow for the train behind the incident train to also enter the station and discharge customers. That is why the doors on the incident train did not immediately open. The doors on the incident train were opened within 5 minutes of pulling into the station and customers were discharged at approximately 7:05 p.m. Initial communication to customers by the train crew is currently under review.

While the rail control center and service supervisor responded promptly to this problem, we need to continue the push to minimize both the frequency and the duration of system failures and delays. That is the goal of the six-point plan announced last month.

This story has been updated. Lead photo courtesy of Samantha Mushnick/Twitter