Amtrak resumes service after disruptions along Northeast corridor amid severe heat wave

Amtrak service was disrupted between Philadelphia and New Haven on Thursday due to a brushfire and power loss issues that came amid a severe heat wave, a company spokesperson confirmed to CBS News.

"The issues are a brush fire in Secaucus, N.J., and a malfunctioning circuit breaker resulting in a loss of power on the tracks between New York and Newark Penn stations," the spokesperson said.

Amtrak said that as of 5:30 p.m. local time, power had been restored and all rail service had resumed between New Haven and Philadelphia. The brush fire east of Newark's Union Station was extinguished by Thursday evening, and the local fire department was clearing the scene to allow operations to resume at restricted speeds, Amtrak said. "Significant residual delays are expected on the Northeast Corridor as we work to restore normal operations," the company warned.

Passengers complained on social media earlier Thursday about being stuck on Amtrak trains in the intense heat. One passenger said they were in "95-degree heat" for about 75 minutes with no water.

Amtrak Northeast posted a number of service disruption updates on social media Thursday afternoon, including one about the Acela, Amtrak's high-speed train, being suspended between Newark and New Rochelle. 

The brush fire in New Jersey also led to delays and cancelations of N.J. Transit service in and out of New York City. By 6 p.m. on Thursday, NJ Transit said that rail service in and out of Penn Station had resumed but was subject to 90-minute delays.

The disruptions come as the Northeast remains under warnings of extreme heat, with at least 265 million people expected to experience temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

In:
• Amtrak
• Boston
• Connecticut
• Philadelphia
• New York

Cara Tabachnick

Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected]