A single photo sums up just how bad New York's commuter nightmare has gotten
A single photo sums up how subway disruptions are affecting New York commuters on a regular basis:
A track fire at the 145th street station caused major delays along the A, B, C, and D subway lines on Monday morning.
But the disruption also caused severe overcrowding on subway platforms as stranded commuters attempted to switch from the A to the 1:
Lines were also lengthy for commuters attempting to take the bus as an alternative:
Lyft prices skyrocketed:
An FDNY spokesperson told amNewYork that the fire was sparked by garbage on the track.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been attempting to clear the amount of trash on subway tracks since last August by increasing the number of track cleanings. The MTA also ordered three vacuum trains designed to collect and clear trash.
The first two vacuum trains are set to arrive this year, according to a 2016 press release. The MTA did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.
But the track fire highlights the general fragility of New York's aging subway system as disruptions pile up.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared the MTA was in a state of emergency in June. As a result, MTA chairman Joseph Lhota has until the end of August assess capital needs for cars, tracks, and signals. Cuomo also said he would add $1 billion to the MTA capital plan.