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Disabled NJ Transit Train Slows Northeast Corridor

SECAUCUS, N.J. (AP) -- A NJ Transit train headed to New York broke down Monday along the busy Northeast Corridor, delaying trains and leaving rail riders waiting outside on platforms in the bitter cold.

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The train had about 550 passengers aboard when it stopped suddenly around 7 a.m. Monday near the Portal Bridge, NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said.

Passengers on the disabled train fared no better than those on the platforms because the heat went out when the train lost power, Stessel said. Temperatures were in the low to mid 30s.

The passengers couldn't be safely transferred to another train and there was difficulty towing the disabled train, Stessel said. It was pulled into New York's Penn Station at 8:45 a.m., about an hour and a half after it was supposed to arrive.

Amtrak trains were delayed up to 30 minutes.

NJ Transit trains on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Midtown Direct operated up to 60 minutes behind schedule in and out of New York City until about 11:30 a.m.

Earlier, trains on the Morris & Essex Line were delayed up to 30 minutes because of switch problems in Summit.

The incidents came days after overhead wire damage in Secaucus forced NJ Transit and Amtrak to suspend service in and out of New York City for hours on Dec. 1.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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