Fierce thunderstorms and high winds that passed through the region on Tuesday reportedly resulted in extensive delays on Metro North's New Haven Line that lasted into Wednesday morning.
According to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, tree limbs got entangled with overhead wires, resulting in the need to shut down some sections of track between Mount Vernon and Cos Cob.
"Throughout the entire evening, several more trees fell at various locations along the line," MTA officials said in a press release. "Crews were dispatched from Stamford to patrol the tracks, removing downed trees as they found them."
Downed trees also caused delays on the Danbury and New Canaan spurs, according to the release.
In addition to the downed trees and branches, trains had to be run at slower speeds due to what is known as "slippery rail," which is where leaves and tree debris accumulate on the train tracks, causing car wheels to "slip."
"As our trains attempt to speed up or slow down, the wheels slip and slide along the rails," the release states. "In severe cases, the train will automatically make an emergency stop because the on-board computer system perceives 'slip-sliding' as excessive speed. This slip-sliding and braking can also create flat spots on the train's wheels, forcing us to take much-needed equipment out of service for repairs."
As a result, trains could only operate at a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour, MTA officials said.
Fallen tree limbs reportedly also caused delays on the Harlem and Hudson lines.
As of 1 p.m. Wednesday the MTA's website indicated "Good Service" on the New Haven Line, meaning there were no significant delays.
Last week officials with Connecticut Light & Power told the Greenwich Board of Selectmen that the utility would like to have "unilateral" power to remove trees on private property, route: {:controller=>"articles", :action=>"show", :id=>"selectmen-get-update-on-cl-p-s-storm-preparedness"} --> which pose a threat to the power grid. The meeting was in response to a power outage in Greenwich on Aug. 5-6 which resulted when a single 85-foot tall black locus fell onto a main transmission line, ultimately
