Amtrak suspends service between New York and Boston due to electrical problems

Amtrak suspended service on the Northeast Corridor between New York and Boston on Saturday, citing “ongoing power issues.”

The problem began around 9:20 a.m. Saturday with delays between New York and Stamford, Connecticut. About 30 minutes later, Amtrak identified the problem as a faulty circuit breaker that was causing power outages on the 70-plus-mile stretch of track between New York and New Haven, Connecticut.

“On July 6, Amtrak suspended service between Boston and New York City for the remainder of the day due to an ongoing power issue,” Amtrak said in a statement. “Amtrak is communicating directly with affected customers about this service interruption and offering options to rebook their travel plans. Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the outage.”

At around 9 p.m., service between the two major northeastern hubs resumed. Five trains scheduled for Sunday were canceled, but two trains scheduled for Saturday night were allowed to continue as scheduled. The preliminary cause of the outage was a lightning strike, according to Amtrak.

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The Northeast Corridor, which connects Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, is one of Amtrak’s two electrified rail lines in the United States. In fiscal year 2023, more than 12 million passengers rode Northeast Regional and Acela trains, prompting the railroad to increase service on the line in March.

Summer is already a difficult time for rail travel, as high temperatures can affect tracks and overhead wires, forcing trains to slow down to avoid damage or derailments. Amtrak advises customers to expect delays of up to an hour between 12:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.