Worker Mistakes, Broken Equipment Led to Monday NYC Subway Woes

(Bloomberg) -- A combination of human error and technical failure caused the subway breakdowns that delayed tens of thousands of New York City commuters returning to work on Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

Early in the day, workers installed a transponder in the wrong location on the 7 train. It’s one of the system’s busiest lines, stretching from the west side of Manhattan east into Queens. The problem shut down the express, forcing thousands to wait on narrow station platforms for slower-moving local trains. Earlier reports had suggested the problem was due to faulty signals.

“This was a case of human error, not weather or equipment, and was completely unacceptable,” said Sally Librera, senior vice president of New York City Transit, which operates the city’s subways and buses for the MTA.

Simultaneously, faulty switches caused more breakdowns affecting several other lines linking Queens with Manhattan, further frustrating commuters who had switched from the 7 line. Regular service on the entire system wasn’t restored until 2:30 p.m., the MTA said.

The agency promised a “post-incident review” in an effort to prevent future delays.

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Goldman in New York at hgoldman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Flynn McRoberts at fmcroberts1@bloomberg.net, Stacie Sherman, William Selway

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