WPCNR TRAFFIC REPORT. From Westchester County Department of Communications. July 21, 2004: In response to the service problems today on Metro-North’s New Haven Line, the Westchester County Department of Transportation put into service approximately 50 buses to rescue stranded passengers. According to the County Department of Communications service was cut on the New Haven line due to a downed wire on the tracks at New Rochelle, which stranded one train. The county was notified of the suspension of service at 8:30 A.M. and mobilized the buses accordingly. There was no estimate available as to how many commuters were bused.
The Department of Communications said as of late morning there was still a stalled train on the track which would have to be hauled away by diesel engine, and there is no word at this time whether service on the New Haven line would be restored by this afternoon's rush hour. The Department of Communications said the county was standing by to provide bus service if needed. They also said the Amtrack Metroliner service was experiencing delays. Commuters should monitor transit reports for the latest situation.
County Executive Andy Spano said that the buses – a combination of the county’s Bee-Line buses and some private buses – picked up passengers in Harrison, Rye, Port Chester, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Pelham and Mount Vernon East (all stations on the New Haven Line) and bringing them to Mount Vernon West (a station on the Harlem Line, which was not affected by the service problems).
By 10 a.m., all New York City-bound passengers had been picked up by the buses. At that point, the county buses began picking up passengers going in the opposite direction, towards Connecticut.
