WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Trains to the 168th Street 1 train station were skipping the station in both directions yet again Friday morning — after an elevator broke down for the third time in two weeks, trapping an MTA worker inside, officials said.
All four of the station's elevators — which are the only way to access the platforms — lost power suddenly Friday morning, officials said.
"All elevators lost power due to an electrical issue at 10 a.m. Not a problem with elevator equipment. Three of the four elevators have been restored after circuit breakers were reset," said MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz.
Trains started bypassing the station a little after 10:19 a.m., the MTA announced via a tweet, “due to ongoing elevator repairs causing overcrowding and unsafe conditions.”
An FDNY spokesman said firefighters were called to the station at 9:32 a.m. after an MTA worker got trapped inside one of the an elevators. The FDNY said they were able to extricate the worker by 11 a.m.
ServiceUpdate: 1 Line bypassing 168 St, due to ongoing elevator repairs causing overcrowding and unsafe conditions.
— NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) February 10, 2017
The incident was the latest breakdown in service at the problem-plagued station, where the elevators also broke down on Tuesday, sparking trains to bypass the station in both directions, as well as last Wednesday morning. The station has been plagued by nonstop chaos, riders say, as a track fire at 103rd Street last Friday also triggered massive delays.
►READ MORE: Chaos and Delays Hit Uptown 1 Train Station 3 Times in Past Week
@2AvSagas 168th St gets no train service because all elevators are broken...
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) February 10, 2017
happened a few days ago, toohttps://t.co/5F1Yz0L3ET https://t.co/o3kQ1yzIQc
Locals expressed outrage at the MTA's handling of the ongoing issues.
@NYCTSubway so it's overcrowded, and therefore you're bypassing it? how does that help?
— קיילה (@kayla_e430) February 10, 2017
