Signal problems in Queens snarl New Yorkers’ morning commutes

Signal problems at the Queens Plaza subway station have created worse-than-normal conditions during New Yorkers’ morning commutes today, with delays affecting the F, M, Q, and R trains, while a different issue impacted the 4 and 5 trains.

The @NYCTSubway Twitter account first reported that signal problems were affecting the Queens Plaza station at 5:23 a.m., and as of 10 a.m., service disruptions were still in place, leaving many riders in the lurch.

A spokesperson for the MTA says that the cause of the signal malfunction is currently under investigation.

Some New Yorkers reported wait times of more than an hour getting from Queens to Manhattan; many of those affected, at least based on tweets, live in Astoria, which is already experiencing its share of transit issues thanks to station closures as part of the MTA’s Enhanced Station Initiative plan.

As we previously reported, two subway stations in the area—at 30th Avenue and 36th Avenue—have been closed since October 2017 as part of the initiative, which is addressing cosmetic improvements rather than ailing the signal system. Another, Ditmars Boulevard, is due to receive upgrades this spring, though it will not close during repairs.

And then there was this, taken by straphanger Jonathan Perry at the Broadway stop in Astoria:

Additionally, 4/5 commuters experienced major delays this morning thanks to a NYPD investigation at Grand Central Terminal.