WASHINGTON – An Amtrak Acela Express on its way to Washington derailed in New York’s Penn Station Friday morning, sideswiping a commuter train that was pulling into the station.
Train 2151 from Boston to Washington’s Union Station was just pulling out of Penn Station on schedule around 9 a.m., with the back end of the train still on the platform, when at least one of the cars derailed.
@Amtrak #derailed between 2nd and third car #acela #newyork to #Washington pic.twitter.com/6YNCgZGjHD
— lo (@ilonacohen) March 24, 2017
All 248 riders safely evacuated the train back into the station.
Riders can expect delays while Amtrak investigates the incident, Amtrak spokeswoman Kimberly Woods said in an email.
New Jersey Transit tweeted that the Amtrak train “sideswiped” a New Jersey Transit train on an adjacent track in Penn Station was caused by the Acela derailment.
New Jersey Transit said there were several minor injuries to riders and crew members on its train. That train was pulling into Penn Station at the time, and it fully reached the platform where riders were able to exit.
Passenger Jordan Geary posted on Twitter that the collision blew out his window, but nobody appeared to be seriously injured.
Rider Ilona Cohen said she was sitting one car over from the apparently derailed café car, and no one appeared injured either.
We were in car in front of cafe car that derailed Evacuating now. #Amtrak personnel helpful #derailed pic.twitter.com/5bYmcjK3F4
— lo (@ilonacohen) March 24, 2017
New Jersey Transit commuter rail, which uses the same tracks as Amtrak trains do to get in and out of New York City, suspended train service in and out of Penn Station due to the derailment.
There was no immediate timetable for when service would be restored, a New Jersey Transit spokesman said.
