Amtrak has resumed full service after it canceled about 100 routes last week because of “heavy snow and the extreme cold,” the company said.
Scores of Acela Express and Northeast Regional train trips were canceled as Amtrak ran a reduced frequency schedule last Tuesday to Friday, said Craig Schulz, a spokesman.
The trains had frozen brake pipes, ice buildup in the wheels, and frozen doors, among other problems, Schulz said.
Tens of thousands of passengers were affected, as recordbreaking snowfall in Boston and other parts of New England had a ripple effect on the entire Northeast corridor, Schulz said. Most of the canceled train routes ran from Boston to Washington, D.C., with stops in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.
“It’s been a pretty rough stretch,” Schulz said.
Even the trains that were running last week experienced delays because of frozen switches and mechanical issues, he said. No trains became stuck in the cold, though. “We didn’t run into any kind of major disabling event,” Schulz said.
As the snow and ice melts off railcars, there is the danger of short circuits, Schulz said, but for the most part, warmer weather will be helpful for thawing out equipment.