Commuters faced a chaotic Thursday evening after a tragic incident brought parts of New Jersey Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line to a standstill. A trespasser fatality near Manasquan forced the temporary suspension of rail service in both directions, leaving passengers stranded and triggering widespread delays that rippled across the network.
The unsettling event occurred shortly after 8 p.m., prompting an immediate response from NJ Transit police and emergency personnel. Witnesses reported heavy police presence and halted trains as investigators worked at the scene. The tragedy not only disrupted travel plans but also cast a somber mood over an otherwise routine evening commute.
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According to NJ Transit, the situation began when a trespasser was struck by a train traveling toward Bay Head. The affected train, #3373 — originally scheduled to arrive at 8:05 p.m. — was initially reported 35 minutes behind schedule, a delay that later stretched to nearly 50 minutes. A second train, #4378 bound for Long Branch, faced an even longer delay of approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes as officials conducted their on-site investigation.
The impact of the incident extended beyond the immediate area. Due to equipment and scheduling complications, service along the Northeast Corridor Line was also affected. Train #3742, the 12:05 a.m. departure from Newark Liberty International Airport, was canceled, with passengers redirected to Train #3888 departing at 12:29 a.m.
Rail traffic resumed later in the evening, though NJ Transit warned commuters to expect lingering delays as recovery operations continued. The agency has urged riders to monitor its official alerts page and X (Twitter) feed (@NJTRANSIT) for ongoing service updates.
Authorities have yet to release the identity of the individual involved, and the exact circumstances surrounding the fatality remain under investigation.
The tragic event serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers surrounding railway tracks and the critical need for awareness and safety near active rail lines.