Reported brush fire delays Amtrak Northeast service in and out of Penn Station

Commuters attempting to get between New York City and New Haven — and all the way up to Boston and down to Washington, D.C. — faced major delays on Amtrak on Tuesday because of rail power loss caused by a reported brush fire east of Manhattan's Penn Station, the rail company said.

Amtrak said as of 3:30 p.m. there was no current estimate for when trains would begin running on time again. All service between Penn Station and New Haven was suspended for the rest of the day, with limited service available between New Haven and Boston.

By Tuesday evening, Amtrak said trains between New York and Washington were also experiencing delays that would persist for the rest of the day.

Trains approaching Penn Station station were being pushed out of the area at reduced speeds, according to Amtrak, which earlier said firefighters were addressing the brush fire.

Amtrak customers with existing reservations could have their tickets honored on trains with similar departure times on a different day, the rail company said. Others who opted to change their reservations would not have to deal with any extra fees.

Emergency Services Hold: All services operating between New York (NYP) and New Haven (NHV) are currently experiencing a delay due to a brush fire near the tracks east of New York (NYP). We are monitoring the situation closely. Updates to come.

— Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) November 12, 2024

Wildfires in North Jersey and parts of upstate New York continued to rage on Tuesday, leading New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a statewide ban on outdoor fires started for brush and debris disposal as well as unconstrained campfires and open fires used for cooking. One major fire at Jennings Creek and Sterling State Park in Orange County, New York, and neighboring Passaic County, New Jersey, spanned 5,000 acres along the states' border and was only 10% contained in both states, according to officials.

The wildfires led to smoky conditions and deteriorating air quality across the New York metro region over the weekend that posed a health risk to vulnerable groups, including older people and those with respiratory and cardiovascular issues.

“It's absolutely critical that New Yorkers avoid any outdoor burning at this time,” Hochul said at a press conference. “We're announcing today a statewide burn ban because the threats are too great. And we cannot have our resources directed to smaller fires. We need everybody, all hands on deck on the major scale fires we have right here.”

Jason Abrams, a spokesperson for Amtrak, said a brush fire in the area had "put a hold on train traffic between New Rochelle and New York City."

This story has been updated with additional information.