Train in vain: Penn Station pain

Woodside: Appallingly, for the second time in less than two weeks, a train derailment inside Penn Station caused a major commuter traffic problem. This exemplifies a classic example of infrastructural deterioration in American public transportation, notably that our railways pale in comparison to the developed countries of the world. If you happen to travel on NJ Transit, Amtrak or the Long Island Rail Road through Penn Station and look around carefully, you may wonder how the antiquated train station — a bustling hub for New York City and the Northeast Corridor — can cope safely with rising train and commuter traffic. There are already enough red flags to seriously question the safety aspect of train traffic into and out of Penn Station, which cannot even handle a minor derailment.

Luckily, considering the peak-hour train was carrying over 1,200 commuters, there were no serious injuries this time. I am afraid this may not be the case next time, unless the usual blame game is abandoned by instilling concrete safety measures and infrastructural upgrades. Atul M. Karnik

End of the LIRR line

Douglaston: Last week’s derailment at Penn Station reminds me of all the reasons I stopped taking the Long Island Rail Road. I stopped seven years ago after taking it for 20 years. When I took it in the ’90s and early 2000s, there may have been a derailment or signal problems once a year. Now, every other week, there are derailments, signal problems or trains stuck in the East River tunnels. I now take an express bus to work from Queens. While it may take longer, I don’t have the constant headaches of the railroad. This system has failed miserably; the head of Penn Station and the LIRR need to get their act together on the deplorable conditions of this failed railroad. I now have peace of mind not having to deal with this miserable system.

Jonathan Sloan

Major headaches

Bergenfield, N.J.: Whoever said that the derailment at Penn Station is minor: I hate to see what a major derailment is. When people are unable to get to work or travel for business or pleasure, that is a huge problem. This shows we have a serious transportation situation. This is a great opportunity to demonstrate that transportation needs more funding, not less. Otherwise, we’re a Third World country as far as transportation is concerned. Jim Kerner

Mo’ money, less service

Bayside: It seems the more transportation fees get increased the more delays, derailments and signal problems increase. New York City, get with modern technology! Diane Ranieri

Uplifting thoughts

Manhattan: That was a beautiful quote by Helen Keller in the letter from Voicer Don Hutnick: “I feel that God is in me the way the sun is in the color and the fragrance of a flower.” I know you guys try to balance things out, but I think it would be nice to read more thoughts like that, instead of the all the political BS. Trump is terrible, Obama is terrible, Republicans are terrible, Democrats are terrible, conservatives are terrible, liberals are terrible, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah, on and on and on, polluting the mind and heart and soul. Larry Madden

Where to put the homeless?

St. Albans: I agree with Voicer Evelyn Zorovich that homeless adults should be removed from streets and subways, but part of her solution is flawed. Once they are taken off the streets, where to put them? The idea of them being housed on vacant city land is a good one, but try to find anyone in a neighborhood which will readily accept homeless people living among them. The hospitals are already full of the mentally disabled; resources there are also stretched to their limits, and the overflow ends up — you guessed it — on the streets of our city. Even so, homeless families should be given priority, as school-age children have no choice about whether they become homeless or not. Unless stability and security can be introduced into their lives, today’s homeless children run the risk of continuing the cycle and become tomorrow’s homeless adults. Anthony Vasser

Just a bad person

Whitestone: Now they are calling it a behavior disorder (“Teen busted in McDonald’s gang beatdown punished for terrorizing Rikers Island,” April 5). Aniah Ferguson does not belong with the general population. She will cause havoc wherever she goes. It’s only a matter of time until she kills someone. Lock her up and throw away the key. More importantly, stop using disorders as excuses. This is totally unfair to those who truly have disorders. How about we get real here? She had a bad upbringing and grew up on the streets. Not our fault! The adults who were responsible for raising her did not do their job. Now our tax dollars are raising her and her child. She’s a gang member, ruthless and heartless. But in today’s sick society, we will label her with a disorder. She does not belong in a juvenile detention center. This is one dangerous woman. They cannot control her at Rikers; imagine the harm she can do in a detention center!

Antonia DiPreta

Hypocritical GOP

Great Neck, L.I.: It appears that the two political parties in this country are the Democrats and the Hypocrites. In 2013, President Obama asked the Republican-led Congress to give him authority to intervene in Syria after Syria used chemical weapons and “crossed that red line.” They refused, as that would have justified the President’s action and they would not be able to criticize him. Now, President Trump launches some missiles into Syria, does not change the situation there, and the Republicans are applauding. Had Obama done the same thing in 2013, they would have been chastising him for authorizing an act that was a mere “pinprick” and claiming that he has no meaningful strategy for dealing with the crisis. What is the Trump strategy now? If this was a “hit and run” or a “one-off” act, then nothing will have changed. The Assad regime will simply obtain new planes from Russia to replace those that were destroyed and launch them from its other bases.

Eliot Gonshorek

Bogey war

Astoria: The bogeymen are out from under our beds and are now running the country. Sanction air strikes in Syria, yet refuse suffering refugees. With this administration, every day is Halloween!

Karen N. Pearlman

Bombing is strength

Brick, N.J.: It only took Trump 77 days to become a world leader. Obama had eight years and never figured out how to do it. Thank you, Mr. President. Bill Lynch

Kicking Assad, taking names

Elmhurst: The barrage of Tomahawk missiles that were launched against Syria by President Trump served notice to Bashar Assad that the U.S. can, and will, send heat-seeking missiles into Assad’s lower posterior, where the sun doesn’t shine. We will not send a message. We will make a point! Even Putin is backing away from the political fallout that will result from Assad’s use of chemical weapons. There can be no justification of the suffering imposed on people seeking nothing more DREW ANGERER/GETTY IMAGES than to be allowed to live. America is behind President Trump. America hears the cries of the Syrian people. We will act! Tell that s.o.b. Assad: We are coming for him, and he will go the way of Bin Laden. James League

Missing condolences

Bronx: Thirteen people killed in train attack in Russia: Trump calls Putin to express his condolences. Some 260 people — including 60 children — killed in massive floods and mudslides in Colombia — no response from Trump or the State Department. I guess they didn’t have enough business ventures to keep Trump interested in their welfare.

Claudette Mobley

Welcome back, Bill

Tuckahoe, N.Y.: I was pleasantly surprised to see that Bill Madden has returned to the sports pages of the Daily News. I’ve missed his insights on the great game of baseball as well as his strong opinions on what is good for the game and what isn’t. Also, the New York Yankees must be happy to see he’s returned as well: Madden would invariably pick against them — and they’ve always proven him wrong! Welcome back, Mr. Madden.

Michael Lanza

A happy return

Sarasota, Fla.: Such a pleasure to read Bill Madden once again in the Daily News. His baseball insights and crisp writing style were missed. Hope to see more of