David Teller Steaming L train tunnel at Varick, near Johnson,
Oct. 30.

While most subway lines are up and running again, L and G train service remains suspended, and the MTA still doesn’t have a timeline for restoration.

Flood waters have been cleared out of G train tunnels, but linger inside of L tunnels, said George Seaton, an MTA spokesperson.

Both lines experienced “significant” damage to train signals and it’s uncertain when, exactly, they’ll be fully operational again. “I have no sense of any timeline,” said Mr. Seaton, explaining that the situation was unprecedented.

During a press briefing Saturday, MTA chief Joe Lhota said he hoped L service would resume “one day next week,” according to the Observer.

With the L down, north Brooklyn residents faced delayed commutes into Manhattan. Across the board this morning, a reduced number of trains were running in 10 minute intervals, where they usually would be running in intervals of five minutes or less, said Mr. Seaton. Because routes were sometimes abbreviated (the A train, for instance, terminated at 168th Street rather than the usual 207th Street), trains took longer to turn around.

The result for one commuter – The Local’s photo editor, Lauren Carol Smith – was a 45-minute platform-to-platform commute on the M train that would’ve taken just 15 minutes on the L. Even at 11:30 a.m., she said, all of the train’s seats were taken, with about 40 people standing in each car.

Despite a petition calling for shuttle service, there was no plan to add buses from Brooklyn to Manhattan. “Shuttle buses tend to get bogged down in traffic, especially in that section of Brooklyn,” Mr. Seaton said, adding that the MTA was working to restore train service “as rapidly as possible.”

In the meantime, Mr. Seaton asked customers to stagger their trips during rush hour. He said he expected commutes to improve tomorrow: “As people get accustomed to the service, yes, we do believe things will be a bit better tomorrow.”

On Twitter, the MTA suggested customers use the East River Ferry, which departs from North Sixth Street and Kent Avenue. The ferry’s Greenpoint stop is still out of service.