Amtrak train service between Boston and New York was restored late Saturday after a power outage on the tracks led the rail service to cancel trains along the busy northeast corridor for most of the day.
Amtrak said in an update at 10:30 p.m. that the power outage was caused by a lightning strike but did not say where the strike occurred. Earlier Saturday, the rail service had said the disruption was due to a “malfunctioning breaker causing a power outage on all tracks” between New York’s Penn Station and New Haven Union Station in Connecticut.
“Amtrak is communicating directly with customers impacted by these adjustments and offering options for rebooking their travel plans,” the company said in the Saturday night update. “Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.”
Social media posts by Amtrak indicated that the rail service had been experiencing power issues since about 9:20 a.m. Friday, causing several delays and cancellations.
Amtrak said two trains were operating on time as scheduled Saturday night: the 65 train from Boston to Newport News, Va., and train 66 from Roanoke, Va., to Boston.
Most trains will operate on their normal schedule Sunday, Amtrak said, but trains 143, 162, and 150 are cancelled “due to equipment locations at the time of the service disruption.” Trains 54 and 157 will operate on a modified schedule, Amtrak said.
The rail service said it would waive additional charges for travelers who wish to change their reservations.
“Customers with reservations on affected trains will typically be accommodated on trains with similar departure times or on another day,” Amtrak said in an alert Saturday at 9:50 a.m.
Messages were sent to Amtrak seeking further information.
About 4.6 million people were expected to travel by bus, train, or cruise ships for the Fourth of July holiday, a 9 percent increase from 2023 and a close return to pre-pandemic levels, according to AAA.
Nick Stoico can be reached at [email protected].
