News & Reviews News Wire Amtrak restores service after latest NEC interruption (updated)

Amtrak restores service after latest NEC interruption (updated)

By Trains Staff | July 22, 2024

‘Unscheduled track repairs’ shut down service between New York and New Haven

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Amtrak high speed train meets Metro-North electric multiple-unit trainset
A Boston-bound Amtrak Acela meets a Metro-North train bound for Grand Central Terminal in Westport, Conn., in August 2019. Amtrak trains did not operate between New York and New Haven, Conn., for part of July 22, 2024, because of unscheduled track work, with passengers being accommodated on Metro-North. David Lassen

NEW YORK —Amtrak service between New York and New Haven has been restored as of 2 p.m. after unscheduled track repairs, the passenger operator said in a 2 p.m. ET post on its website.

Newsday, in a paywalled article, reports the problem was a broken rail in the Bronx. This would fit with the supposition that the problem was on Amtrak’s Hell Gate line between Penn Station and New Rochelle, N.Y., given that passengers were accommodated on Metro-North commuter trains between Grand Central Terminal and New Haven.

Amtrak originally reported that service had been suspended in a notification on its website at 9:30 a.m. ET, and in an update posted at 10:30 a.m. ET indicates repairs are expected to be complete at 2 p.m. ET. It was at that time that passengers were informed Metro-North was honoring Amtrak tickets. This was the second time this month that Amtrak service has been disrupted between New York and New Haven, with Metro-North providing an alternative; the previous instance, because of a power outage, was eventually attributed to a lightning strike [see “Amtrak NEC service halted between New York, Boston,” Trains News Wire, July 6, 2024]

Today’s problem comes just a day after Amtrak and NJ Transit service on the corridor was disrupted for about 2 hours on Sunday because of downed wires near Rahway, N.J. It continues a summer-long pattern of service disruptions, mostly in New Jersey, that saw Amtrak and NJ Transit blaming each other until New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called both sides together for a meeting, leading the parties to agree to a cooperative effort to seek solutions [see “Amtrak, NJ Transit pledge to work together …,” News Wire, June 28, 2024].

— Updated at 2:05 p.m. CT with restoration of service.

3 thoughts on “Amtrak restores service after latest NEC interruption (updated)

  1. Does anyone have the slightest clue what’s going on with Amtrak?

    For the people posting on these pages that they’re sick of Amtrak’s emphasis on NEC to the detriment of other routes, well, it seems that NEC is a hot mess.

  2. Was there service between New Haven and Boston for those that used MNR between GCT and New Haven?

  3. Amtrak bulletin. No mention here of MNRR alternate.

    Service disrupted between New York and New Haven
    July 22, 2024 10:30 AM

    Service between New York (NYP) and New Haven (NHV) is temporarily canceled due to an unscheduled track repair. The track repair is estimated to be complete at approximately 2:00 pm. Customers ticketed to travel between New York and New Haven will have their tickets honnered by Metro-North from Grand Central Station to New Haven. Amtrak is communicating directly with impacted customers about this service interruption and offering options for rebooking their travel plans. Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the disruption. Crews are working hard to correct the issues.

    Customers with reservations on affected trains will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or another day. Amtrak will waive additional charges for customers looking to change their reservation during the modified schedule by calling our reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

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