Amtrak holiday travelers in Boston frustrated by cancellations, delays
BOSTON – South Station was packed with people throughout the day Monday, as many Amtrak customers watched in frustration while their trains were canceled or indefinitely delayed.
One train from Roanoke, for example, was delayed in its arrival by 265 minutes without explanation.
"Anxious," said Jeff Howson, whose D.C. train was canceled. "Yeah, you know, we've got four grandchildren we are looking forward to seeing and usually we don't like to use the airplane… We like the train. Never thought we'd bump into this."
Amtrak cancellations and delays
Amtrak explained that signal issues caused all the cancellations and delays along the Northeast corridor.
"The signal issues have been resolved," a statement read. "However, due to crew constraints from yesterday's events and rail congestion along our network, all trains operating between Washington Union Station (WAS) and Boston South Station (BOS) may be impacted due to ongoing and residual issues along the Northeast Corridor. We have canceled select services to minimize delays. This is an ongoing situation; crews are actively working on resolving this issue."
"Please note that plans are fluid and may change, and we will notify customers affected as soon as possible," it continued. "Unfortunately, there is no estimate for the resume of standard operating service. We will provide additional details as they become available."
Despite the indefinite delays, passengers like Nate Hirschtick have a good attitude.
"I have had worse travel experiences," he said. "This is far from the worst case scenario. As long as I'm getting to [New York] city tonight, I'm happy."