WASHINGTON – On June 21, MARC Train 538 lost power soon after leaving Washington Union Station, resulting in loss of air conditioning and “uncomfortable conditions for passengers” who waited about two hours for a resolution.
“On behalf of Amtrak, I extend my most sincere apologies to the passengers of Train 538 for having to withstand unacceptable conditions and inconveniences during this service disruption,” President and CEO Joseph Boardman said. “We fell short of providing the service we strive to deliver.
“In conjunction with the Maryland Transit Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration we are conducting a thorough investigation of the incident,” Boardman said. “In addition, we are also evaluating our procedures to identify opportunities to improve our response in similar situations.
“We take this matter very seriously and take responsibility for this failure,” Boardman said. “We will identify the cause or causes of yesterday’s disruption, and we will take corrective action. We value our MARC passengers and we will take steps to improve the service.”
