N.J. brush fires disrupt rail service between Philly, New York
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- At least two fires burned in Central New Jersey -- forcing Amtrak to suspend service between New York and Philadelphia at the height of the evening rush Tuesday.
At Philly's 30th Street Station, travelers waited patiently to get to their destinations.
While the fires are being investigated, the Edison police chief says a freight train caught fire and the sparks hit the trees.
Trouble on the tracks on Tuesday after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says fire crews were dealing with brush fires in Central Jersey.
Flames and smoke were visible near the tracks and firefighters worked to put multiple fires out in different locations.
Amtrak and NJ Transit temporarily suspended rail service on the Northeast Corridor.
Commuters were stuck at Metro Park Station and Penn Station. The delays even affected those headed in and out of Philadelphia.
Brad Maule says he was stuck on the train in Newark for hours
"It was quite the trip, got to watch the sunset out the window," Maule said.
Maule says some passengers decided to leave the train and find a new way home.
"About a third of the train left and took a Lyft or an Uber or made other arrangements," he said. "I thought about taking a Lyft but the price surge caught on real quick. It was almost $200 from Newark to here so I waited."
Amtrak says the hold on the tracks is now released, although some delays
If you are using Amtrak, just make sure you check ahead of time to see if your train is on schedule.
