NJ Transit trains to and from NYC suspended due to increasing heat

NJ Transit service to and from New York Penn Station was suspended Tuesday morning after Amtrak reported overhead line problems and a stranded train on the first day of what is expected to be a prolonged heat wave.

NJ Transit initially reported 60-minute delays on its rail lines to and from Penn Station shortly after 7 a.m. and rerouted MidTown Direct trains to Hoboken Terminal.

At 7:47 a.m., this was upgraded to a stoppage of service, NJ Transit said on social media. PATH trains accept NJ Transit tickets at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken and 33rd Street, New York stations. NJ Transit officials also confirmed Amtrak reports of a stalled commuter train blocking the tracks at Penn Station.

NJ Transit and private bus companies will also accept rail tickets on Tuesday morning

The cable problem comes as temperatures above 90 degrees are forecast for the Northeast.

Excessive heat can cause the overhead wires that supply electricity to trains to sag.

The Northeast Corridor, owned by Amtrak, has overhead catenary and signal lines between New York and New Brunswick that date back to the 1930s and 1940s. Some of the lines have been spliced ​​and re-spliced ​​to fix problems that require permanent replacement, NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett said in an interview last week.

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You can reach Larry Higgs at [email protected]. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry