(Bloomberg News circulated the following article by Josh P. Hamilton on August 4.)
NEW YORK — Amtrak trains were running normally this morning after downed power lines in Pennsylvania last night halted service between New York City and Philadelphia and affected trains along the entire Northeast Corridor.
Around 6:30 local time last night a train pulled down the overhead electrical lines powering all four tracks between Levittown and Grundy, Amtrak officials said. Power had been restored on three tracks by about 11 p.m., Amtrak spokesman Clifford Black said this morning.
“We’re back to nearly normal operations,” Black said. Twenty-eight trains were either terminated en route or canceled at their stations last night as a result of the disruption. Five more trains were canceled during this morning’s rush because equipment wasn’t available at originating stations, Black said. A 1 p.m. train from Harrisburg to Philadelphia and New York was also canceled for today, he said.
Trains are generally keeping to their usual schedules, Black said. He estimated 2,000 to 3,000 passengers were directly affected by the disruptions.