Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused F train to derail near Broadway and 60th Street in Queens on Friday morning, injuring 19 passengers and requiring the rescue of hundreds more. The New York Daily News notes that the accident occurred in an area that the MTA has identified particularly prone to problems: “The Queens trouble zone, along the Queens Blvd. line between 50th St. and 71st St./Continental Ave. in Forest Hills, had 205 broken rails between 2005 and 2012 — the second-highest concentration during that period of any part of the subway system.” The section is scheduled to have its rails replaced in 2015 as part of a multimillion dollar plan to strengthen the subway’s weakest tracks.
Though a section of rail did snap under the train during the derailment, the MTA announced on Saturday that “age of the rail is not a factor in the investigation.” According to spokesman Adam Lisberg, the rail in question was manufactured in November and installed just last month. Now, he said, “We’re going to track down other rails from this shipment and see where they went. And we’re going to closely inspect all other rails in this area.” The broken rail will also be sent out for metallurgical testing.
Meanwhile, repair crews spent Friday night doing repairs and cleanup at the scene of the wreck. Local service on the E and F lines was restored at around 1 p.m. today, though it will be suspended again in between 10 p.m. tonight and 10 a.m. tomorrow morning to allow for more work.
