Amtrak service between Washington and Philadelphia resumed Tuesday afternoon after being suspended for hours due to downed overhead wires and a pole on the tracks.
Service between the two cities was suspended around 4 a.m. for both the Acela Express and the Northeast Regional. By 1:15 p.m., crews completed repairs allowing single-track service through Aberdeen, Maryland, where a Norfolk Southern freight train hit a utility pole.
Crews continue to work on an adjacent track. Trains will run slower than ususal through the area where the work is being performed, so passengers should expect delays.
Amtrak is investigating how the train could have struck the pole.
Here at Union Station, this is what the board looks like @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/lcg0bLXk9p — Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) September 16, 2014
An Amtrak spokeswoman did not respond to repeated requests about how many passengers were affected.
Riders told Transportation Reporter Adam Tuss they received no explanation from Amtrak and had to figure out for themselves why they were delayed. Some decided to take a bus instead, while others rented cars.
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Northeast Regional service operated from Philadelphia to points north during the repairs, an Amtrak spokesperson said. The Acela Express operated from Wilmington to points north.
Click here for updates on Amtrak's service.
MARC service in Maryland is also having problems Tuesday morning. According to its website, MARC has no service Tuesday at its Perryville and Aberdeen stations. MARC says commuters can use the Edgewood and Martins Airport stations.
