Commuters Puzzled As Penn Station's Signs Go Dark

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Penn Station commuters were thrown for a loop Tuesday afternoon when the electronic signs that notify passengers about track numbers suddenly shut down, according to transit officials and witnesses on social media.

The Long Island Rail Road signs went black around 3:40 p.m., according to a video taken at the scene. Commuters were seen standing around dumbfounded as announcements played over the station's loudspeakers.

One rider sarcastically posted on Twitter: "LIRR communication done right!!!"

A spokesperson for the Long Island Rail Road said on social media that the outage did not affect train traffic and that LIRR personnel would be dispatched to the waiting areas to notify passengers about their track numbers. Information on the LIRR's mobile application was also accurate during the sign blackout.

Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images News/Getty Images