Amtrak apologizes for leaving passengers at NY station

Amtrak is apologizing for leaving 85 passengers who were supposed to be on board an Acela train from New York to Washington, D.C. over the weekend. 

The passengers were directed to board the train, which originated in Boston, on a different platform than the one it departed from, according to reports. 

Passengers flooded Twitter with complaints about stranded by the train, which was operating on Amtrak’s most heavily-traveled route. 

{mosads}The company said Tuesday that it was looking into the incident. 

“Amtrak is investigating the circumstances surrounding Acela Express Train 2253 on Saturday, in which approximately 85 passengers were not able to board before the train departed New York Penn Station,” Amtrak said in a statement that was provided to The Hill.  

“The train was en route to Washington, D.C. from Boston when an apparent miscommunication resulted in the train leaving the station before all passengers could board,” the statement continued.  “An investigation is under way to determine the reason for the breakdown in communication.  All affected passengers were accommodated on other trains and Amtrak sincerely apologizes for the inconvenience.”

Amtrak has touted its Acela service as a high-speed rail alternative in Northeast U.S. Congressional critics have pointed out that the trains currently have a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour, compared to top rail speeds upwards of 200 miles per hour in other parts of the world. 

Because the trains share tracks with Amtrak’s regular service, Acela routes run as slow as 80 miles per hour in some places in the Northeast.

Amtrak has told lawmakers it has a plan to increase the speed of its trains to 220 miles per hour by 2040, but Republicans have derided the plan as unrealistic.