NEW YORK – Two Manhattan subway cars derailed Sunday north of a station near Central Park, forcing more than 400 passengers to evacuate the tunnel on a second train, officials said.
The cars on a southbound N train, heading from Astoria, Queens, to Brooklyn, jumped the tracks at 4:23 p.m. 100 feet north of the stop at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said. One wheel on each of the two cars came off the tracks, NYC Transit said in a statement Sunday night.
"Something was wrong with the hand brake," passenger Mike Garelik said Sunday. "When they restarted it, it looks like it took one of the cars off the rail."
The train's 449 passengers were removed from the tunnel on a "rescue train," officials said. One person suffered from anxiety and another person reported a minor injury, but neither required medical treatment, Seaton said.
The cause remained under investigation. Seaton said the train's operator and conductor would receive blood alcohol testing, which is standard procedure following an accident.
The cars were removed from the track to a Brooklyn rail yard on Sunday evening and crews were making repairs.
Some N train service remained suspended Sunday night and R trains were rerouted.
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