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

Amtrak suspended Northeast Corridor service between New York and Boston on Saturday, citing an “ongoing electric power issue.”

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 malfunctioning circuit breaker causing power outages on the more than 70 miles of track between New York and New Haven, Connecticut.

“On July 6, due to an ongoing electric power issue, Amtrak canceled service between Boston and New York City for the remainder of the day,” an Amtrak statement reads. “Amtrak is communicating directly with impacted customers about this service interruption and offering options for rebooking their travel plans. Amtrak apologizes for any inconvenience caused by the disruption.”

Around 9 p.m., service between the two major northeastern hubs was restored . Five trains scheduled to run Sunday were canceled, but two scheduled for Saturday night were allowed to proceed as planned. 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. Over 12 million customers rode Northeast Regional and Acela trains in fiscal 2023, prompting the rail service to increase the frequency of trips on the line in March.

The summer is already a challenging time for train travel as high temperatures can affect the rails and overhead electrification, forcing trains to move slower to prevent damage or derailment. Amtrak advises customers to expect delays of up to one hour if they travel between noon and 7:30 p.m.