(The News Journal posted the following article on its website on September 27.)
WILMINGTON, Del. — An Amtrak line closed by a derailment just north of the Wilmington train station early today reopened this afternoon, officials said.
Commuters had been seeing 10-15 minute delays as the tracks were assessed for any damage, Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell said.
The chartered three-car Amtrak train carrying the Washington Nationals baseball team derailed about 1:30 a.m. but no one was injured.
The Nationals were traveling home from New York after their 7-3 win over the Mets on Monday.
All cars on the train remained upright.
“It was a very minor derailment,” Connell said. “The rear wheels of the locomotive went off the track.”
The cause of the derailment has not been determined, she said.
All 50 passengers were transferred to another train at about 3:10 a.m., and they arrived in Washington about 5 a.m.
Nationals radio engineer Jack Hicks, who was on the train with the team, said the lights went off and the train came to a slow stop. Others said they didn’t know there was a problem.
“I didn’t feel a thing,” Nationals broadcaster Charlie Slowes told WTOP radio. “Some people say they felt a minor jolt.”
Commuter problems
SEPTA operated shuttle buses between Newark and Claymont on the R2 Wilmington/Newark Line to bypass the portion of train blocked by the accident.
The morning’s commute wasn’t too bad, Connell said, with no delays longer than 20 minutes.
SEPTA trains were still operating between Claymont and Center City Philadelphia, but passengers on those trains were told to expect delays of up to 30 minutes.