Amtrak train breaks apart in Maryland

by Mallory Shelbourne - 02/06/18 1:53 PM ET

Amtrak is investigating after two train cars broke apart early Monday morning in Maryland due to a “mechanical issue,” an official said.

The railroad service said no passengers or crew members were injured in the incident, which occurred before 7 a.m. near Havre de Grace, Md.

“We are currently investigating the cause of the car separation, inspecting every Acela trainset, and taking any necessary actions to prevent a reoccurrence,” an Amtrak spokesperson told The Hill.

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The Federal Railroad Administration said the agency “is aware of the incident and is investigating.”

The Acela train was en route from Washington, D.C., to Boston, Mass., when the cars separated. The passengers were then transported to a Northeast Regional train.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny over train safety following several Amtrak crashes in recent months.

Last week, an Amtrak train carrying GOP lawmakers to the party’s annual retreat hit a garbage truck in rural Virginia, killing one person in the truck. And early Sunday, an Amtrak train hit with a stationary freight train, killing two Amtrak employees.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both incidents, in addition to a December crash in Washington state that killed three people when a speeding train derailed while traveling across a highway overpass.

Updated at 3:22 p.m.

Tags Acela Amtrak