Train derailment in Maspeth fuels long-time safety fears of local residents

A train derailed off freight tracks in Maspeth late Tuesday, spilling diesel and fueling the simmering anger of nearby residents who fear for their safety. The Long Island Rail Road locomotive on its way to Long Island City from Jamaica was travelling at a slow speed when it jumped the tracks shortly before 6 p.m., authorities said. It wasn’t carrying any passengers, officials said, and there were no injuries. But a “small amount” of fuel leaked onto the track bed from a punctured tank, a LIRR spokesman said. “These derailments and accidents are happening way too often,” said Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association, who called for an investigation into the operations of the railyards and tracks.

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