LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS — Subway riders heading between Queens and Manhattan during morning rush hour Monday faced packed platforms and commutes that took nearly twice as long as usual — and it's all thanks to a chipped rail on the 7 line at Queensboro Plaza.

The problem started just before 7 a.m. Monday, when MTA crews got a report of the broken rail just west of the Queensboro Plaza subway station, according to a spokesperson. A 10-inch piece of rail had snapped off the track, the New York Daily News reported.

Workers halted 7-train service between Queensboro Plaza and Court Square to make repairs, just as commuters flooded the subway system for morning rush hour. The issue on the 7 line prompted a ripple effect of delays on the E, F, M and R lines, according to the MTA. Frustrated commuters posted photos on social media that showed subway platforms in Jackson Heights and Long Island City packed to the brim.

