Passengers boarding a SEPTA train in Bucks County last year.
Credit: Erich Martin/NewtownPANow.com
SEPTA officials explained what happened Monday morning and caused a nightmare on Regional Rail lines.
Officials said the problem that impacted several train lines, including the Trenton, Warminster and West Trenton branches, was caused when the wires came down on Warminster Line Train #4213 moments after it had departed Jenkintown Station in Montgomery County.
“The location of the initial wire incident is a central connecting point of Main Line track that also serves the Lansdale/Doylestown and West Trenton Lines. With the inbound track out of service, all inbound trains had to switch to the outbound track just south of Jenkintown, temporarily creating a single track operation for these 3 Regional Rail Lines, plus early trip cancellations for Airport Line service,” SEPTA officials said in a letter to riders.
The downed wires ended up causing “cascading delays of 60-90 minutes for the majority of trains heading into Center City on these lines and delays for outbound trains that had to be held while inbound trains were expressed through this area,” they said. The delays ended up lasting through the morning and into the early afternoon.
SEPTA said their power crews worked through the cold morning to complete repairs and restore regular service, which returned shortly after 1 p.m.
“Any service delay is annoying to customers but a major travel interruption on a cold, Monday morning creates major irritation and disruption. We are working very hard to improve service on Regional Rail so we know that you are frustrated and disappointed. We want your service to be safe, reliable, and for you to have confidence that we can meet all of your travel needs,” SEPTA wrote to its riders.
