NEW JERSEY — NJ Transit experienced system-wide delays and cancellations on Thursday, July 2, 2026, due to equipment issues caused by extreme heat. The disruptions included delayed service on multiple lines, train diversions, a rescue operation, and a fire at Hoboken station.

Temperatures in the tri-state area reached 100 degrees on Thursday. The Montclair/Boonton, Morris and Essex, Northeast Corridor, Main/Bergen County, Raritan Valley, and Pascack Valley lines all experienced delays and cancellations lasting up to an hour on Thursday evening. The North Jersey Coast Line reported delays of up to 90 minutes.

Trains on the Montclair/Boonton and Morris & Essex lines that were bound for Midtown were diverted to Hoboken Terminal on Thursday. NJ Transit urged riders to avoid non-essential travel. The agency also announced that rail tickets and passes would be cross-honored on NJ Transit and private carrier buses, PATH services at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal, and 33rd Street New York, and NY Waterway Ferry.

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri addressed the situation, stating, "What we want people to do is use all the methods we are making available to try and use all of those systems to get home." Kolluri also noted the severity of the weather, saying, "It's the most excessive temperatures we have had this year."

The high temperatures contributed to specific incidents throughout the day. A rescue train was deployed to Harrison to transport approximately 300 customers back to Hoboken Terminal after a disabled train required towing, a process that took about 45 minutes. The Hackensack Drawbridge became stuck open for 25 minutes due to the heat, causing additional delays. NJ Transit decided not to open any more rail bridges for the remainder of Thursday's commute to prevent further issues. After 5 p.m. on Thursday, a fire occurred at the Hoboken station. The temperature inside New York Penn Station reached 148 degrees on Thursday, according to NJ Transit.

Disruptions continued into Friday, July 3, 2026. NJ Transit announced at 6:17 a.m. that rail service would operate with expected delays and cancellations through the end of the day. A disabled train near Metuchen caused Northeast Corridor rail service to experience up to 90-minute delays in both directions on Friday afternoon. Eastbound trains were announced to bypass New Brunswick, Edison, and Metuchen. Earlier on Friday at 4:48 a.m., NJ Transit had announced that rail lines were operating on or close to schedule.

NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith commented on the impact of the conditions. "Temperatures of this magnitude place extraordinary stress on rail infrastructure and equipment, making weather-related service impacts more likely," Smith said.