The heat caused major problems for Metro North passengers Friday afternoon.
Service was suspended on parts of the New Haven line after a number of trains became disabled between Stamford and New Haven. Sagging overhead wires became tangled in the mechanisms above the train cars, according to a Metro North Spokesperson.
A train between the Westport and Greens Farms stations became disabled, losing power and air conditioning. Passengers spent 90 minutes in the sweltering train cars, according to a Metro North Spokesperson.
Westport fire officials said they received dozens of 911 calls from people on the trains complaining about heat-related medical emergencies, including several pregnant women in distress.
Emergency response was hampered by what police called "quite a bit of confusion" on the part of MTA dispatchers in New York.
"[T}he MTA dispatchers contacted by the Westport Fire dispatcher indicated the train was not carrying passengers," Deputy Fire Chief Jon Gottfried said. "Despite those conflicting reports, Westport Fire, Police and EMS responded...and found the train approximately 3/4 of a mile east near 16 Beachside Common Road not moving."
When emergency responders finally approach the train, it began moving to the Greens Farms station, Gottfried said. They had to return to the station to treat some of the 200 passengers onboard.
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Farther up the line, passengers were stuck on a train between Bridgeport and Stratford. Metro North brought a diesel-powered locomotive in to pull the train after about an hour.
A third train became disabled around 4:30 p.m. outside of Stratford. A second train was brought in to take those passengers to their destination.
Full service resumed just before 6 p.m.
Westport fire officials said they plan to hold a meeting with MTA officials next week to discuss communication problems between the two agencies.
