Train derails in Brooklyn, marking second NYC subway derailment of 2024

A subway train in Coney Island derailed near the West 8th Street-New York Aquarium station Wednesday, the MTA said.

The train jumped the tracks around 12:20 p.m. and caused extensive disruptions on the F and G lines as emergency teams assisted passengers onboard the train, according to the MTA. The problem came six days after two trains collided and derailed on the Upper West Side, which prompted National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy to declare her team would "look at the entire [subway] system, including how it is managed and supervised."

Photos from the scene in Coney Island obtained by Gothamist show the Manhattan-bound train busted through a wooden barrier as it jumped the tracks. One of its cars landed just feet away from the edge of the line's elevated structure, the photos show.

It was not immediately clear what caused the derailment. A spokesperson for the NYPD referred to the MTA for comment.

NYC Transit President Richard Davey said during a news conference the train was moving at a reduced speed through a construction zone when it derailed. He said 34 passengers were safely taken off the train and none of them were injured.

"Derailments do happen. They shouldn't, but they do from time to time," said Davey. "Customers should feel safe taking the subway."

Davey said he aimed to have full service on the line restored in time for rush hour on Thursday morning.

Joseph Natoli, an accountant whose office has a view of the tracks where the train derailed, said he didn't immediately notice the issue.

"It wasn't even a screeching stop, it was going so slow," said Natoli. "It was not like it was a speeding train that derailed."

Natoli said the tracks where the train derailed have been under maintenance over the last few months.

The city’s emergency management agency said in an alert at 12:45 p.m. that F trains were not running between the Avenue X and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stations, noting a train’s brakes were activated.

The transit authority said G trains were running with delays in both directions.

Last week's derailment on the Upper West Side disrupted service on the 1, 2 and 3 lines for more than 48 hours. It came after two trains on the 1 line collided at a slow speed and jumped the tracks, officials said. Roughly 300 passengers were involved in the incident, with about 25 sustaining minor injuries.

Last Friday, Homendy said the derailment raised concerns about the subway's safety, noting the NTSB had recently finished investigating the death of a track worker in Manhattan on Nov. 29.

Davey said if the NTSB wants to investigate Wednesday derailment, the MTA will "welcome their expertise."