The fire that disrupted train service at Penn Station for two days last week was caused by a piece of equipment that fell off one of Amtrak’s brand-new trains, an executive for the national railroad confirmed in an interview.
Amtrak executive vice president of capital delivery Laura Mason said a metal “skirt board” on the side of one of its NextGen Acela train cars hit an electric third rail, sparking the blaze. FDNY officials said they responded to the fire about 11:30 a.m. last Wednesday.
Mason said the incident happened in a particularly sensitive location: Amtrak’s busy “C interlocking,” which directs trains between Penn Station and two of Amtrak’s East River tunnels. The interlocking is a key section of tracks used by Long Island Rail Road and some NJ Transit trains.
“It’s like having an accident at the intersection. You end up blocking both streets while you try and clear that incident,” Mason said. “We are grateful we had no injuries. We protected life and safety, and that is the most important thing.”…