Murphy says NJ Transit should get better, lots of trains canceled

NEWARK — Hours after NJ Transit celebrated its meeting a key deadline in its Positive Train Control installation, the railroad canceled a dozen trains for Monday afternoon's commute, and did it again on Tuesday morning.

Surrounded by NJ Transit workers and politicians, Gov. Phil Murphy and Executive Director Kevin Corbett announced Monday morning the installation of 282 locomotives, cab cars, and wayside installations along 326 miles of track. Murphy said equipment that was pulled out of service for installation will be available again, but said there isn't a "magic moment" that will correct all of NJ Transit's problems.

"This is going to be an incremental step-by-step in the right direction and I'm going to stay on this like a hawk," Murphy said.

WE SHOULD EXPECT BETTER NJ TRANSIT SERVICE … SOME OF THE TIME

Tuesday morning's cancellations were the result of a "higher than usual number of equipment undergoing the maintenance and inspection cycle," according to NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith.

System-wide delays also developed as trains added stops to accommodate more riders

The canceled trains were compounded by an early 20-minute delay in and out of New York Penn Station due to Amtrak emergency work that cleared up by 7 a.m.

NJ Transit canceled trains for Tuesday morning:

Main/Bergen

9:26 a.m. (#58) from Port Jervis due to equipment availability. Substitute bus service is being provided.
6:22 a.m. (#1150) from Suffern due to equipment availability
3:50 a.m. (#0042) from Port Jervis due to a manpower shortage

Montclair-Boonton