(The following information was compiled from RailPace Magazine.)
PENN STATION DRAMA: A Liberian man who provoked the suspicions of the authorities on an Amtrak train on Tuesday and spurred the partial evacuation of Pennsylvania Station in New York was in federal custody last night facing a charge of illegal immigration. The man was identified by The Associated Press as Nasrat Youssef Kafal. His luggage was searched because officials believed he might be carrying hazardous materials. An official close the investigation, who insisted on anonymity, said last night that the suspicious substance turned out to be cooking oil. But James Margolin, a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said Mr. Kafal did not have a valid visa when he was questioned on the train. As a result, he was turned over to the federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and could face deportation, Mr. Margolin said. The incident resulted in widespread disruption for train passengers on Tuesday, with Amtrak service halted for nearly three hours.
GUNMAN ROBS FT. WASHINGTON SEPTA STATION: A daring daylight holdup at SEPTA’s Fort Washington commuter station has netted a robber between $500 and $1,000. It was 11:00 in the morning when the gunman, his face partially covered by a mask, hit the train station and put a .45 automatic in the face of a frightened ticketmaster before bolting on foot with the money. Whitemarsh detective Elaine Behr says it was chilling situation: “This is a large caliber weapon. This guy’s dangerous. It’s pretty brazen — daylight, walking into a train station. There were people outside the train station waiting, had just gotten onto a train. This occurred just after a train left the station. Pretty daring.” Investigators are talking to witnesses and are asking anyone with information to call Whitemarsh Township police.
SEPTA’S MEMORIAL DAY SCHEDULE: On Memorial Day, (Monday, May 26) all SEPTA services — City Transit, Suburban Transit and Regional Rail — will operate on Sunday schedules. Although work will continue on the Rail Power Project, all Regional Rail service will operate through Center City as scheduled. The Rail Power Project is replacing the overhead electrical power system in Center City between 30th Street and Suburban Stations. Regular SEPTA weekend fares will be in effect through Memorial Day.
SEPTA WILL OFFER LIMITED SERVICE ON REGIONAL RAIL R6″ SEPTA is operating a special schedule of limited train service and shuttle buses on regional rail Route R6 Cynwyd due to the final phase of construction for the ongoing Rail Power Project. SEPTA will make minor changes to the current service in operation on the line and a new combined R6 Cynwyd train/bus schedule, which will become effective Tuesday, May 27, is now available at Center City regional rail stations. The $17 million Rail Power Project is rebuilding the 70-year-old overhead electrical power system in Center City between 30th Street Station and Suburban Station. The project is scheduled for completion by early summer. The final of phase of the Rail Power construction project requires one track between 30th Street and Suburban Stations to be taken out of service continuously, impacting weekday train service. SEPTA is compensating for this loss of track capacity by operating limited train service between Cynwyd Station and 30th Street Station during the a.m. and p.m. rush hours. However, these trains do not serve Suburban or Market East Stations. Passengers may board any regional rail line at 30th Street Station for continued travel into Center City Philadelphia. Scheduled shuttle bus service is also operating in place of some trains during the day.