Subway Rail That Snapped Was New, MTA Says

It is still unclear what led to the derailment of a Manhattan-bound F train with 1,000 riders on board near Broadway and 60th Street in Woodside

The MTA said Saturday that a section of rail that snapped when a subway train derailed Friday morning had been manufactured just last November and installed only weeks ago.

The statement from transit officials came as crews worked to repair the track and remove the train after six cars derailed and injured 19 people.

The MTA said the section of rail that snapped would be sent for metallurgical testing as part of the ongoing investigation into the derailment.

Subway service on the local E and F lines, which had been suspended, resumed Saturday afternoon following the derailment Friday morning of a Manhattan-bound F train with 1,000 riders on board near Broadway and 60th Street in Woodside.

Train service on the two lines was expected to be suspended again Saturday night for further repair and cleanup work, the MTA announced.

Firefighters had to rescue hundreds of passengers, four of whom were seriously injured, out of the subway tunnel through a sidewalk grate. 

The tunnel was dark, hot and full of dust as emergency responders climbed down through a sidewalk grate to evacuate the train, leading people out in groups of 20. Firefighters and EMTs went into every car to talk to riders and keep them calm before the evacuation, which took about an hour, began, Deputy Assistant Chief James Leonard said.

Some passengers told NBC 4 New York they heard screeching and banging as the train came to a sudden halt. 

"We heard these sounds of metal clanging," one rescued rider told NBC 4 New York. "It just stopped and no one knew what it was."

Officials said the track was also damaged, and it would be several days before full service could be restored. Crews were working overnight to free the derailed train and repair the track. 

The MTA said it was not immediately clear how fast the train was going, or what the speed limit is in that area.

The E and F trains will be running in two sections Saturday, and shuttle buses would also be in opration. The 7 train was set to make all local stops in Queens. Here are the latest service advisories:

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