Busiest Train Line In The U.S. Goes Quiet Over Technical Difficulties

Photo: Gregory Adams (Getty Images)

Train service on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor between New York City and Philadelphia was suspended for three hours due to a communications issue. The 457-mile-long route from Boston to Washington, D.C. is Amtrak’s most profitable route by a wide margin. The Northeast Corridor is used by the Acela, the federal-owned railroad’s marquee high-speed service, as well as, commuter trains operated by agencies like NJ Transit.

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Amtrak first announced that service was suspended at 9:20 a.m. local time along the Northeast Corridor, nearly entirely in the state of New Jersey. Ten minutes later, NJ Transit followed suit and suspended services in and out of Penn Station in Manhattan. The Garden State’s public transportation system offered its customers an alternative route to the city through PATH rapid transit. Amtrak’s statement on suspension reads:

“Due to an ongoing communication issue with signals and switches between Philadelphia and New York, all services scheduled to travel in that area are suspended until further notice. Trains between Philadelphia and New York, at the time of the disruption, are currently being moved out of the area at reduced speeds.”

Amtrak restored service by noon, but the railroad expects residual train delays to affect operations. The Northeast Corridor was impacted by severe storms that swept across the region on Tuesday. According to WCAU, three Acela services were canceled earlier this week, along with five Northeast Regional trains.

Amtrak’s future promise and current failings have prominently featured the Northeast Corridor. The next generation of Acela trains was scheduled to enter service last year, but technical issues have led to seemingly perpetual delays. Also, the federal government is pouring nearly $7 billion into the much-needed $16 billion project to double train capacity under the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey, the biggest chokepoint for the vital corridor.