Person Strolling on Subway Tracks Suspends Service and Causes Delays on B, Q, and S Trains

This morning, an unauthorized person walking on the MTA train tracks near the Prospect Park stop suspended S and B train service and delayed service on the Q.

Around 8 a.m. this morning, an unidentified person was on the train tracks in the vicinity of the Prospect Park station. By 8.30 a.m. there were no S trains in both directions between Prospect Park and Franklin Avenue, while the NYPD investigated a report of an unauthorized person on the tracks at the Prospect Park station, the MTA notified on their Twitter.

Shortly, the MTA delayed Northbound B and Q trains, which were held in stations while the NYPD responded, resulting in the Northbound Q trains running on the D line from Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue to Atlantic Av-Barclay Ctr and Suspending service on the Northbound B trains.

An MTA spokesperson told us the MTA followed police direction to remove power between 8:18 a.m. and 8.51 a.m, but could not specify on which specific tracks. Delays first began at 8.08 a.m. when the incident began. The MTA had no further comments.

“Some dude shut down B and Q service, he decided to take a walk on the tracks near Parkside Ave,” a passenger on a Northbound B train, who asked to remain anonymous, told Bklyner this morning. “Kinda funny considering there was a recent influx in cops to keep peace and order in the subway.”

The passenger recalled that around 8.20 a.m. the train conductor announced the Q would run in the express track, causing delays for the B train, as an unauthorized person was “taking a walk” on the tracks around the Parkside Avenue stop. As their train arrived at Church Avenue, the conductor announced a power outage on the tracks and that there would be a 40-minute standby.

Many people left the platform seeking to take buses or cabs to Atlantic Avenue for a transfer, the passenger said, “Those that stayed were lucky, the trains started moving after a 15-ish minute wait. Maybe it was 20.”

At 8.57 a.m., the MTA posted a service update, stating the B and Q trains have resumed making all regular stops after the NYPD removed the unauthorized person from the tracks and to expect extensive delays in both directions as “we get trains back on schedule.”

Currently, it is unclear what the person’s motive was, but the passenger believed it was not a suicide attempt, but perhaps a deranged or drunk man.

We have reached out to NYPD for more information and will update the story.

Update at 10:20 a.m.: NYPD told us that the man was climbing on the roof of the Parkside Avenue B/Q train station, and was taken into custody. No further information was provided.