Extreme Cold Has Amtrak, NJ Transit, SEPTA Making Some Changes
By Kim Glovas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Commuters who use AMTRAK trains may need to check the schedule in the morning, because fewer trains will be running because of the bitter cold.
Amtraks' Marc Magliari says the agency looked at the weather, and decided some changes would be made as a result.
"A lot of people have gotten the word from KYW and elsewhere, maybe it's good not to travel, so volume is already going to be down a bit, and because we don't need to have all the service, and then because the severe weather conditions are tough on everybody and everything, we thought it best to modify schedules a bit."
Acela Express and Northeast Regional service will be running with fewer trains, and travelers are asked to check the schedules or their tickets before heading out.
If passengers already bought tickets for a canceled train, they can get a refund or voucher for future travel.
For more information, visit: http://www.amtrak.com/home.
NJ Transit will offer full systemwide cross-honoring on Tuesday and Wednesday, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail or bus—including private bus carriers.
All NJ Transit rail station buildings and waiting rooms will remain open, including evenings and overnight, through Thursday.
NJ Transit strongly advises all customers to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip.
SEPTA plans to operate normal weekday schedules for all modes of travel on Tuesday. However, SEPTA officials say the extreme weather does present a number of challenges to some of the transit system's older vehicles and infrastructure.
SEPTA says train cars for both the Broad Street Line subway and the Market-Frankford Line will be stored in subway tunnels overnight to keep the rail cars warmer than they would be if stored at rail yards.
SEPTA will also have additional personnel on-hand Tuesday morning in the Command Center at SEPTA Headquarters and also out in the field to monitor conditions.
For more information, visit http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml, or go to their homepage, www.septa.org and click on the System Status icon on the left-hand side.