Metro-North disruption cost state $62M

Electrical problems that recently disrupted 12 days of rail service on the Metro-North New Haven line cost the state’s economy nearly $62 million.

With a loss in productivity and income for both commuters and the transportation sector, there was a grave impact on the state’s gross domestic product, according to a report by the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development.

The loss in productivity is the equivalent of 260 jobs, including 200 private sector jobs and 25 construction jobs, according to the report. The time value loss for commuters that had to spend an extra hour in traffic is also estimated to be at least $14.9 million.

Rail services was first disrupted Sept. 25 when a 138,000-volt cable feeder, which supplies electricity to overhead wires, lost power at about 5:30 a.m. The cause of the feeder failure is unknown, however, Con Edison officials say it was likely related to work done to disconnect the feeder for upgrade work.

For the rail industry, the disruption cost an estimated $3 million to run temporary diesel-powered trains and $5.3 million in lost ticket revenue.

The state, on top of likely paying for monthly and weekly ticket holder reimbursements for the disruption, also lost an estimated $2.2 million in net revenue.