PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Amtrak ended 2023 with major delays on its Northeast Corridor on Sunday. Signal issues canceled some trains, and delays plagued all others going out of Philly's 30th Street Station — including SEPTA regional rail and NJ Transit customers.
SEPTA suspended service on the Airport, Chestnut Hill West, Newark and Trenton regional rail lines. NJ Transit also suspended service on the Atlantic City Rail Line between Cherry Hill and 30th Street Station.
Service was restored on the Northeast Corridor shortly after noon. Before then, riders with morning travel plans for New Year's Eve were forced to make some quick recalculations.
Sarah Niemann's goal when she woke up in Lancaster on Sunday morning was to get to Atlantic City for the celebration.
"I walked an hour to the train station to get the 7:56 a.m. That got canceled. And then I was gonna wait on the 10:05. And that got delayed."
Eventually, some good samaritans helped Niemann make part of her trip to 30th Street Station.
"Yeah I was about to cry if I didn't get a ride because I don't want to be in Lancaster on New Year's," she said.
However, at 30th Street, she was met with more cancellations and delays.
Erin walked into a similar scene at the station trying to catch a train to New York City to meet a friend for the holiday. It's just an overnight trip, she said — "so, it's like, every hour kind of counts."
She was one of hundreds of people wandering about the station, waiting for updates on their trains.
"Their updates haven't been the best," Erin said. "I've been getting my updates on Twitter instead of here."
Niemann opted for a bus to Atlantic City. Her plan when she gets there?
"Have a great time."
