JerseyJim – Incident on the 5:18

A sad day yesterday on New Jersey Transit. As our 5:18 express train from Penn Station reached East Orange, the train stopped abruptly. After a momentary pause, the conductor made an announcement that our train had hit someone in the tracks, and there had been a fatality. He informed us that we would be awaiting local police, and eventually, a replacement train. It seemed to happen very uniformly, there was no confusion about how things would proceed from there.

Lots of quiet waiting for the passengers, as phone calls were made, dinner plans changed, and small exchanges of conversations with seatmates and folks across the aisle.

A few repeat announcements, and delay of all trains, causing 45 minute delays both east and westbound. We eventually disembarked and walked down from the elevated tracks. Back up to the additional track, and crowded onto an awaiting train.

As we left East Orange, the announcement on the new train spoke of delays “for a tresspasser incident.” We all knew it was much, much more than that.

- jerseyjim