UPDATE: Victims of Deadly Train Wreck were from Cold Spring, Montrose, Newburgh, Queens

By Krista Madsen and Lanning Taliaferro

Update 8:48 p.m.: Killed in today's train derailment were James Lovell, 58, of Cold Spring; James Ferrari, 59, of Montrose; Donna Smith, 54, of Newburgh; and Ahn Kisook, 35, of Queens. The identifications came from MTA officials, according to News 12.

Update 7:50 p.m.: One of the victims of today's deadly train derailment was a Montrose resident, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino told News 12. 

Tony Aiello of CBS News tweeted that the man is James M. Ferrari, 59.

A second was sound and lighting designer Jim Lovell of Cold Spring, who was headed into NYC to work on the tree at Rockefeller Center. The two other victims were from Newburgh and Queens, according to LoHud.com.

Update 6:35 p.m.: With limited service on the Hudson Line, commuters should be flexible and prepare for delays and crowded conditions, Metro North warned upon releasing its plans for the Monday commute. 

Some additional parking will be available near the Southeast and Valhalla stations (on the Harlem Line):

• Kensico Dam, 600 Park Drive West, Valhalla – 150 parking spaces
• Southeast Station – additional parking along Independent Way

Southbound, limited train service will operate between Poughkeepsie and Yonkers stations only and connect with shuttle bus service to Van Cortlandt Park-242 Street for No. 1 Subway service into Manhattan.

For northbound service between Yonkers and Poughkeepsie stations only, customers should take the S Shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square for No. 1 Subway Service to Van Cortlandt Park-242 Street. Bus service will operate to Yonkers Station and connect with limited train service to Poughkeepsie.

Special schedules to/from Yonkers and Poughkeepsie stations are posted on the schedules page. 

Metro North officials strongly recommended working from home on Dec. 2. 

Update 5:40 p.m.: Jim Lovell, the husband of Philipstown Councilwoman Nancy Montgomery, was a victim of the deadly train wreck, said Councilman Dave Merandy.

Merandy, who confirmed reports from Philipstown.info  and The Journal News, said he had gone to Haldane High School with Lovell.

Update 5:20 p.m.: Metro North has received the OK from the National Transportation Safety Board to upright the locomotive pushing the 7-car train that derailed at the Spuyten Duyvil curve this morning, said NTSB board member Earl Weener. That should stop the fuel spill, he said.   

"We realize that this is a very important railway," he said at a press conference at the scene covered by local TV stations. In addition to the locomotive, NTSB has OKed lifting the fallen cars to look for any other injured or dead people, he said. 

"The MTA wants to know as much as anyone what happened in this accident," he said. "We want to see the trains perform on time but safety is job one."

Update 4:55 p.m.: Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board expect to be on the scene of the deadly train derailment for a week to 10 days, according to Earl Weener, a member of the NTSB board. 

In a press conference in the Bronx, Weener said the NTSB is fielding a multi-disciplinary team examining several areas:  

• tracks

• signals

• mechanical equipment

• operational procedures

• human performance

• survival factors

Update 3:35 p.m.: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted that Amtrak's Empire service has resumed between New York City and Albany. "Trains are moving thru the derailment area at restricted speed," he tweeted.

Update 3:30 p.m.: Hudson Line riders are encouraged to make plans to use the Harlem Line for tomorrow's commute, said Metro North spokesman Aaron Donovan.

"We don't know much right now about what kind of serve we're going to provide," he told Patch. "At this early stage before we know any of the contours of the service plan I would encourage your readers to begin to make plans to get to the Harlem Line." 

Donovan said a NTSB team is on the scene of the derailment, which killed four people and injured 63. The 7-car train was on its way to New York City from Poughkeepsie. 

Riders were forced off the Hudson Line in July after a CSX freight train derailed—also near the Spuyten Duyvil station. There were no injuries in that incident.

Update 1:35 p.m.: Amtrak Empire Line service is halted between New York City and Albany. 

Mary Dolan, features/entertainment editor for The Journal News, tweeted from the Croton-Harmon Station about would-be Amtrak passengers without transportation home after the holiday. "Lots of stranded college students waiting..." she wrote. "Trains sold out so not sure they will get on, once resume."

On its website Amtrak says: passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com/alerts for Service Alerts and Passenger Notices. Schedule information and train status updates are available at the Amtrak.com home page. Passengers who have paid but choose not to travel due to this service disruption can receive a refund or a voucher for future travel. Some reservations booked online can be modified or canceled on Amtrak.com or by using the free Amtrak mobile app.

Update 1:12 p.m.: "It was a truly tragic accident," Gov. Cuomo told News 12 by phone from the site of the train derailment at Spuyten Duyvil. He said the causes will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board. "All we're hearing is speculation now and speculation really isn't helpful."

He said investigators from the NTSB would analyze the scene and review information from the train's black box. Then they'll move the trains. 

We don't want any more delays than we have to have." Cuomo said. 

Divers are still searching the Harlem River where the rear car landed at the water's edge. They don't believe however, that there are any more bodies to be found, Cuomo told News 12. 

Update 1 p.m.: National Transportation Safety Board investigators are on their way, said Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.

It could be 2 days before the tracks are re-opened, he said.


Update, 11am: Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave a press conference at the site of a Metro-North Hudson line train derailment this morning, confirming that four are dead, 63 injured. 

Metro-North spokesperson Marjorie Anders said a family center has been set up in the Bronx and a call number for people seeking information on loved ones:

JFK High School at 99 Terrace View Avenue in the Bronx has been established as the family center and 718-817-7444 is the contact number for those seeking the status of family members you may have been aboard the train. Or call 311 in NYC or "212-New-York" (212-639-9675).

Trains are now suspended between Tarrytown and Grand Central. More travel info comes from MTA.info:

Hudson Line service is suspended between Tarrytown and Grand Central due to a derailed train in the vicinity of Spuyten Duyvil. Bus service will be provided between White Plains and Tarrytown Station for customers wishing to travel in and out of Grand Central. Shuttle bus service will commence at approximately 11 AM. Customers at stations between Irvington and Yankees-E. 153rd St. Station are urged to use the Harlem Line, NYCT Subway and/or bus service. Hudson Line tickets will be cross honored for these services. 

Original post, 9 a.m.: Metro-North confirms this Sunday morning that a seven-car passenger train has derailed near the Spuyten Duyvil station in the Bronx with unknown injuries. 

Service has been suspended from Grand Central Station on the Hudson Line East up to Poughkeepsie as emergency crews respond. 

Stay tuned to the MTA website above for updated information on train service. 

Here is a press release from MTA spokesperson Marjorie Anders:

At about 7:30 Sunday morning, Train #8808, a southbound train on Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line (the 5:54 am from Poughkeepsie, due into Grand Central Terminal at 7:43 a.m.) derailed about 100 yards north of the Spuyten Duyvil Station on a large curved section of track. Rescuers are ascertaining the extent of injuries, and we will update information throughout the day. 

The train was a diesel with seven cars.  The locomotive was on the north end pushing the cars southward. The head cars derailed, but none are in the Hudson or Harlem rivers, which are adjacent to the tracks.

The accident was reported by the engineer.  It is not known if any other crew members are injured.

Train #8708 is being held at Hastings and #8712 cancelled at Croton-Harmon.
 
Hudson Line service is suspended, including Amtrak’s Empire Line. One Amtrak train #63 returned to Penn and another #250  held at Harmon.
 
This area has three tracks.  The train was on the middle track, Track 2. The configuration is 4 is next to the river, 2 is inside, 1 is land side.
 
This will be updated as more information becomes available.