In the Northeast United States, commuters faced significant challenges as both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit experienced delays and cancellations due to infrastructure issues and extreme heat. The disruptions began on June 21, 2024, when a circuit breaker malfunction caused a widespread loss of power on the train tracks between Penn Station in New York City and Union Station in Newark, New Jersey.
As a result, Amtrak suspended service between Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and New Haven, Connecticut's Union Station. The agency warned riders to expect significant residual delays due to rail congestion. Additionally, a brush fire east of Union Station in Newark required local fire department clearance before trains could resume at restricted speeds.
NJ Transit also faced issues as overhead wire problems in Secaucus forced the suspension of service into and out of New York Penn Station. The delays came just days after another disruption caused by overhead wire issues on Amtrak lines, leading to up to an hour and a half delay for some commuters.
The root cause of these infrastructure breakdowns is the aging 100-year-old train lines that have not received the necessary investment to keep up with modern usage. The heat wave only exacerbated the situation, causing further delays and frustration for commuters.
Despite recent fare increases, NJ Transit faces a projected budget deficit of $1 billion in the fiscal year starting in July 2025. New Jersey has a tentative agreement with profitable companies to temporarily pay higher taxes to fund NJ Transit, but both the 'transit tax' and a final state budget still need approval from the Legislature next week.
Amtrak President Roger Harris acknowledged that a catastrophic failure of the circuit breaker that powers trains occurred on one of the hottest days of the year. He also mentioned a serious brush fire that came close to their tracks. NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett emphasized that riders don't care whose fault it is at the end of the day; they just want to get from A to B and arrive on time.
Gov. Phil Murphy criticized both Amtrak and NJ Transit leaders for these disruptions, stating that his office is working to get to the bottom of all the issues.
