A Morris & Essex Line train lost power and air conditioning near Kearny on Wednesday, Sept. 16, leaving Summit-bound commuters trapped for nearly two hours in heat they described as unbearable.

Train No. 6641, a Dover-bound run that left New York Penn Station at 4:14 p.m., broke down at approximately 4:35 p.m., according to TAPinto Summit. NJ Transit said it sent a rescue engine to tow the disabled train to Newark Broad Street. The train arrived there around 6 p.m., 87 minutes behind schedule, and the agency terminated the run.

Police boarded the train to check on passengers. Emergency medical personnel met the train at Newark Broad Street as a precaution. One passenger reported feeling faint but declined medical attention, NJ Transit said.

Riders described the experience on the Summit NJ Happenings Facebook group. One commuter wrote that temperatures inside the train felt like 90 degrees, that passengers could not open doors or windows, and that the conductor was able to step outside while riders could not. Another said a pregnant passenger was seated nearby and called the conditions unsafe. That rider said he had left work two hours early yet nearly missed back-to-school night.

NJ Transit said the train was moving again "in just over an hour," though tracking data showed the full delay reached 87 minutes.

Macurdy calls performance 'unacceptable'

Assemblyman Andrew Macurdy, a Democrat who represents Summit in the 21st Legislative District, said the breakdown reflects a broader reliability problem tied to aging equipment and deferred maintenance.

"The performance of the last few weeks has been incredibly frustrating and is unacceptable," Macurdy told TAPinto Summit on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Macurdy said he and his wife both ride NJ Transit to New York and have experienced the problems firsthand. He said he is pressing the agency to speed up the rollout of replacement rail cars and ensure critical spare parts are available.

A nonpartisan study underscores his concern. The Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit rail cars travel the fewest miles between mechanical failures compared to Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Rail Road, WHYY reported. The distance between breakdowns fell from roughly 89,000 miles in 2020 to 55,000 miles in 2024.

NJ Transit told TAPinto Summit its Morris & Essex Line on-time rates ranged from 84.1% in July to 89.3% in June, with a September-to-date rate of 92%. The agency said extreme weather affected service over the summer.

The agency said 374 new multilevel rail cars are on order, with the first expected to begin carrying passengers in the coming months. NJ Transit said it is on pace for a fully modernized fleet by 2031.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed Executive Order 16 in March, requiring NJ Transit to improve the commuter experience. Her administration released a Rapid Action Plan in May aimed at upgrading digital tools, cleanliness, accessibility and public safety. NJ Transit adopted a $3.5 billion budget for fiscal year 2027, the largest in its 47-year history.

TAPinto Summit reported that Mayor Elizabeth Fagan had not responded to a request for comment as of Sunday, Sept. 20.

The first new rail cars are expected to enter service in the coming months, with full fleet replacement targeted for 2031.