MTA investigating after 2 LIRR trains sideswipe each other near Jamaica

JAMAICA (WABC) -- The MTA says it's investigating after two Long Island Rail Road trains collided, causing a delay as thousands of people tried to start their weekends.

Those weekend plans took a major detour Friday evening for dozens of passengers onboard a westbound Montauk train and eastbound Huntington train when the two suddenly collided a short distance from the Jamaica station platform.

It happened around 6:30 p.m.

"The conductor came through and said that we were sliced by another train," a passenger said.

Several passengers say they barely felt a thing, but the damage left behind was certainly visible.

Video filmed from inside one of the train cars shows the damage.

Railroad officials say the front left side of the Huntington train struck the side of the first car on the Montauk train, completely halting the evening commute for thousands.

"When trains pass, they pass all the time and it's so close and you don't think anything of it, but this one, it started to come by and then boom! It was like a car accident," a passenger said.

Passengers onboard the Huntington train were closer to the platform and were evacuated within 15 minutes of the accident.

But those on the Montauk train had to wait for assistance from crews who used wooden platforms to transport them to another train.

"They used, I forget what kind of boards the guy called it, but we went over on the other train and it was a double decker and it was really full this afternoon," a passenger said.

"Trains obviously should not have collided, we will now begin an investigation, and we will look at every possible thing that could have caused that," said Patrick Nowakowski, the MTA Long Island Rail Road President.

And while it was a frustrating day for many, many people say they're just grateful no one was hurt.

The LIRR is continuing to experience delays averaging 15 minutes systemwide due to an earlier minor train collision east of Jamaica.