Governor Dannel Malloy said he wants Metro-North Railroad to pay Connecticut customers for tickets they can't use as a result of the service outage. The power failure along an eight-mile section of the New Haven line has frustrated commuters and politicians alike. Officials said it could take weeks to repair.
This weekend, Metro-North said it will have limited service. That means only hourly train service in both directions. The railroad said to expect crowded conditions as it can only serve about 33 percent of its regular ridership.
The railroad also has some plans for riders who've already bought tickets. It said New Haven line tickets can be used on the Harlem line.
But that's not good enough for Governor Malloy. He said he doesn't think the railroad can claim that weather or some other "act of God" caused the service interruption. He also doesn't think this will wind up in court.
"I have told Metro-North and the MTA in no uncertain terms that I expect them to produce a plan to compensate Connecticut riders for the lack of service." Gov. Dannel Malloy
"It's very difficult for a consumer to sue over a $20 loss. It doesn't make economic sense. And that's why I've made it very clear that the full authority of the state stands behind this one," Malloy said.
The railroad said it and the power company are trying to establish alternative power sources to the serve the New Haven line.
