LIRR service resumes between Penn Station and Jamaica

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A man ended up on the tracks at Penn Station on Thursday afternoon, leading LIRR to temporarily suspend service between Penn Station and Jamaica.

According to authorities, the 35-year old man was standing between two cars on the 3:18 LIRR train from Penn Station, just as his eastbound train was pulling into an East River tunnel.

He is known to police as a panhandler who typically gets on board to solicit money from passengers as they wait for their train to pull out.

He jumped to the tracks as the train was traveling about 5 mph.

Panhandlers usually get off before the train leaves, but the man realized late that his train was moving, authorities said.

He was injured, taken off the tracks by emergency workers and rushed to the hospital. The man suffered a broken right ankle and lacerations to his left leg.

Power to the tracks was shut while emergency workers cleared the scene.

The service problems created a huge crowd at Penn Station.

MTA Police implemented their Penn Station restricted access plan due to the overcrowded conditions.

Limited eastbound LIRR service was restored by 4:45 p.m. with trains operating initially on the Ronkonkoma, Port Washington, Port Jefferson and Babylon branches. Westbound service between Jamaica and Penn was also restored.

After residual delays, LIRR service was running on or close to schedule systemwide by 9 p.m.