Police Chief: Garbage Truck 'Moves' Tracks

Update, 3 p.m.: The Long Island Rail Road is not expected to resume service past the East Hampton station before Tuesday evening after a garbage truck struck a railroad overpass in East Hampton Village on Tuesday morning. 

Salvatore Arena, a spokesman for the L.I.R.R., said a crane was brought to help repair the tracks on the North Main Street overpass, and the work wouldn't be completed Tuesday afternoon. 

"Buses are replacing trains in both directions between Bridgehampton and Montauk," Mr. Arena said. He advised riders to check the schedule and to vist the L.I.R.R. website.

North Main Street is closed starting opposite Citarella to the bridge and the M.T.A.  and village police have blocked approaches while trucks are on the job. Traffic is backed up in the area. 

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Original Story, 11:44 a.m.: A garbage truck slammed into the North Main Street railroad overpass on Tuesday morning, shutting down train service east of East Hampton Village and backing up traffic.

Village Police Chief Gerard Larsen said a National Waste Services truck hit the bridge at around 9:10 a.m. with such force that the train tracks moved. Long Island Rail Road inspector were called to assess the damage.

The clearance under the bridge is 10 feet. Blinking signs were installed near it in recent months to warn truck drivers of the low clearance.

The bridge is often hit, and while the L.I.R.R. is always called to assess the damage, the tracks do not always move, Chief Larsen said. "He hit it really hard," he said.

The driver, who had been heading south into the village, was not hurt. His name was not immediately released, but the chief said it was only his second day on the job.

He was given two tickets -- for failure to obey a traffic command and for having an uninspected vehicle.

As of 11:10 a.m., an L.I.R.R. inspector was still en route to assess the damage, according to Salvatore Arena, a spokesman for the railroad. Buses were ordered to transport people from Montauk to East Hampton in case the suspension lasts for a long period of time, Mr. Arena said. The bus scheduled to leave Montauk at 11:13 a.m. will instead leave East Hampton at 11:43 a.m.

Updated train schedules should be available on the L.I.R.R. website.