NEW YORK — Amtrak is reporting large-scale cancellations and most rail transit operations in the Northeast are shut down or operating on a limited basis today (Monday, Feb. 23) following a blizzard that passed through the area overnight.
The National Weather Service is reporting snowfall totals for the last 24 hours of 20 inches or more in portions of New York and New Jersey, and a foot or more elsewhere on the Northeast Corridor. In New York City, a ban on vehicular travel is in place until noon.
As of 9 a.m. ET, Amtrak has suspended all operations between New York and Boston’s South Station until at least 4 p.m.
Previously, the company had announced the following cancellations throughout the Northeast: Acelas Nos. 2201, 2203, 2205, 2206, 2214, 2218, 2222, 2223, 2248, 2249, 2250, and 2271. Also canceled are Northeast Regional trains 82, 101, 103, 109, 124, 126, 127, 140, 143, 144, 146, 150, 151, 152, 153, 160, 162, 163, and 195; Vermonters No. 54 and 57; Downeasters Nos. 680, 681, 682, and 683; Empire Service trains Nos. 233, 236, 238, 243, and 244; and Keystone Service Nos. 601, 605, 607, 661, 643, 609, 640, 642, 600, 646, and 658. Other trains may also be canceled; check Amtrak’s website or app before any planned travel.
As of 7:40 a.m. CT, transit agencies along the Northeast Corridor are reporting these conditions:
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority: Commuter rail, subway, and bus service is operating on a reduced schedule; ferry service is canceled; The RIDE service may experience delays.
CTrail: All CTrail Hartford Line trains are canceled, as are Amtrak Hartford Line trains 490, 470, 143, 496, 147, 471, 140, and 146. All Shore Line East trains are canceled. Determinations will be made later on Tuesday operations.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority: Long Island Rail Road service is suspended until further notice, as is Metro-North West-of-Hudson service operated in conjunction with NJ Transit. Other Metro-North service is running hourly on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines, and on a weekend schedule on branches.
Staten Island Railway service is also suspended. The subway system is operating with some express trains running local, and delays, some of which could be severe, should be expected on lines that run outdoors.
NJ Transit: All operations are suspended and will remain so “until conditions safely allow for the gradual resumption of service.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority: Regional Rail service is currently suspended until safety inspections are complete; if it resumes today, it will be on a Saturday schedule. L, B, and D rapid transit lines are operating with possible delays and cancellations; T service is diverted to 40th and Market streets; M service is operating only between the 69th Transit Center and Radnor because of a downed tree. All bus service is suspended.
MARC: The Penn Line is operating on a Saturday schedule and the Camden and Brunswick lines are on an “R” schedule. This reflects the storm’s significant impact at Washington Union Station, according to this advisory.
Virginia Railway Express: VRE trains are operating on a reduced schedule, with morning trains terminating in Alexandria and evening trains originating there. More details are here.
— Updated at 9:33 a.m. CT with suspension of Amtrak operations between New York and Boston. To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
IMO it may not be the snow so much as the combination of snow and especially wind. With almost a cat 1 hurricane the debris can foul the tracks and especially the CAT wires. As well the commercial power feeds to Amtrak and MNRR might take a hit.
Odd things seem to stick in your memory for life. 1. I’ve always remembered a line in a long ago New York Times editorial “Every year at this time Penn Central discovers winter.” 2. Can someone help me locate this one – Russell Baker, who wrote the “Observer” column in the NYT for many years, wrote an essay about trying to get from Washington to New York when all travel was paralyzed, except…except..the Pennsylvania Railroad, which got him there, late but eventually. Any memories?
Your updated info on the situation in the Northeast this morning (Monday, 2/23) is appreciated. Sometimes you guys seem to nap all day; today’s effort is an improvement.
There’s a difference between reduced schedules, and wholesale cancellation. It appears to be mostly the former in many areas, but the latter in New York State.
New York and New Jersey seem to be the worst hit. Further north, a foot of snow in Massachusetts is no big deal. It’s just another winter day in the Bay State, where snowfall is measured in feet, not inches.