34 People Injured as Subway Cars Derail in New York City

Passengers reported being evacuated from an A train after it stopped suddenly near the 125th Street station in Harlem.

Dozens of people have been injured after two subway cars derailed in New York City Tuesday.

Passengers were rescued from the crippled A train after it flew off the tracks close to the 125th Street station in Harlem. Some 500 riders were stranded. 

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“[It was] like a runaway roller coaster,” a witness on the train told CBSN. “Like a bucking horse.”

"Thanks, MTA,” he added. “Hopefully they can get their act together soon.”

The FDNY said 34 people had been treated for injuries, and none were considered life-threatening.

The MTA tweeted later the transit agency was working on a timeline for full service restoration.

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Widespread service disruptions were reported on the A, B, C, D and F lines as a result of the derailment.

A southbound A train struck a tunnel wall after "the emergency brakes automatically went on," MTA Chairman Joe Lhota told reporters. "The train bucked forward, it bucked backward. In the process of doing that, two of the - there's eight cars on this train - two of the cars derailed."

Investigators are trying to determine why the emergency brakes were activated. 

Passengers reported a door being ripped off one of the derailed cars. Broken glass flew inside. Firefighters helped about 500 riders riders climb down ladders onto the the tracks, and then helped them up a ladder onto the subway platform.

"It started rocking all over the place. People started falling off their chairs. It was crazy, like a movie," rider Edgar Gonzalez told WCBS-TV.

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