Snow holds New York transportation system to limited service

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York could only provide "limited service" on several rail and subway lines for this morning's rush hour, following round the clock efforts by crews to clear and remove up to two feet of snow from the tracks, crucial signals and switches that make up our rail infrastructure.

The Long Island Rail Road expects to be able to gradually resume very limited service on other branches throughout the day. "However, there continue to be major delays and in some cases suspensions in service across our transportation network into the afternoon on portions of the Long Island Rail Road and New York City Subway system," MTA says on their Web site.

Subway service is operating but with service outages on a number of lines, especially those lines that operate in open cuts particularly in Brooklyn.

Bus service in the region remains severely affected. Long Island Bus is operating very limited service due to road conditions. Limited-Stop bus service in New York City remains suspended. Local and express service in the five boroughs is operating with delays especially in Southern Brooklyn, Staten Island and Queens.

In addition, some routes have been shortened due to street conditions. Roadway conditions are being evaluated on a route by route basis.

"We will only restore service where we can safely do so," MTA said.