(The following article by Robin Washington appeared on the Boston Herald’s website on August 7.)
BOSTON — An overhead electric power wire for Amtrak’s high-speed Acela train broke at the Route 128 station in Dedham
Monday, creating afternoon and rush hour delays on both interstate trains and the MBTA’s commuter rail.
The repair, which an Amtrak spokesman estimated taking six to eight hours, forced trains onto a single track, affecting all lines out of South Station.
“At 1:45 p.m. catenary wires were reported down on Track Number 1 with the wires blocking Track 2 at Rte. 128,” Amtrak spokesman Dan Stessel said.
Stessel said the initial incident was cleared off the track in a little more than an hour but by then had delayed four afternoon trains by at least 45 minutes. MBTA trains using the same tracks experienced delays up to a half-hour.
Also yesterday, an Orange Line passenger in a wheelchair fell onto the tracks at North Station. T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the passenger was taken to a hospital, treated and released.