NJ Transit officials blamed the cancellation of 35 trains on Columbus Day on 20 engineers who they said unexpectedly took the day off, causing overcrowding and frustrating riders.

NJ Transit announced Monday afternoon that rail tickets for the Morris & Essex and Montclair-Boonton lines were being cross-honored, but officials didn't give a reason for the action.

"The cross-honoring was due to canceled trains, related to scheduled engineers not reporting to work," said Nancy Snyder, an NJ transit spokeswoman. "There were 20 engineers with unscheduled absences."

Snyder said 35 trains had to be cancelled during the afternoon and evening rush. Absences taken in violation of the attendance policy are subject to discipline, she said.

"We always expect our engineers to report to work," she said.

Commuters complained that canceled trains caused problems including crowding on other trains.

But union officials disputed NJ Transit's explanation and said that only five engineers were no-shows on Monday and that others stepped up to work on their days off.

"NJT did ask engineers to work their relief days and several did," said James P. Brown, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers general chairman. "Had they not, more trains would have been annulled."

The other 15 engineers had taken compensated days, which they are entitled to use and which are similar to personal days, Brown said.



NJ Transit is still suffering from staff shortages and the railroad lost three more engineers since the summer, Brown said. Engineers have left for other transit and passenger railroads such as Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North, which Brown said pay 20 percent more than NJ Transit.

"The fact still remains the engineer [absences] are no different than the previous years," he said. "The shortage is due to the lack of hiring and the inability of NJT to retain their current work force."



NJ Transit Executive Director Steven Santoro testified during a legislative hearing this the summer that the agency had to cancel 64 trains in July, which the agency blamed on engineers exercising a right they have under a union contract, which gives engineers 48-hours to accept a new assignment. The agency has about 350 engineers on active duty.

He admitted that NJ Transit has lost engineers to other railroads. Training replacements takes two-years and that each class of trainees has a 67 percent drop-out rate.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.