Despite 3rd fire in a month, Amtrak official says Penn Station and rail infrastructure is ready for World Cup crowds

Amtrak officials on Thursday offered assurance that Penn Station and its surrounding infrastructure will be ready to handle the massive crowds expected for the World Cup, even after the third track fire in a month disrupted train service into and out of the station Thursday.

A New Jersey Transit welding contractor's truck on the tracks in Laurel Hill, New Jersey, near the Hackensack River, caught fire Wednesday night, causing major Amtrak and NJ Transit train delays into out of Penn.

That incident followed two track fires in May inside tunnels connecting to Penn Station. Those earlier fires also impacted Long Island Rail Road service.

The string of incidents comes as Penn Station is expected to be heavily relied on to deliver soccer fans to World Cup tournament matches at MetLife Stadium, via New Jersey Transit.

In a media briefing call Thursday, Gerhard Williams, executive vice president and chief operations officer for Amtrak, acknowledged the "rash of incidents ... in the last couple weeks," but offered assurances that they are not indicative of larger infrastructure problems.

"I've never seen such a rash of fires ... in such a short period of time," said Gerhard, who cited a range of causes, from equipment issues to electrical ones. "The bottom line is we're getting to the root cause of every single thing, and we'll make sure that it's addressed so that it doesn't happen again."

Gerhard said Amtrak has been planning for months for the World Cup, including by hardening and renewing “antiquated” infrastructure. On match days, Amtrak will deploy 100 police officers throughout the region, and have other personnel at Penn to assist customers, including those on the LIRR.

“This is a full all hands on deck moment for our teams,” Gerhard said. “Amtrak is fully committed to ensuring a safe and seamless World Cup experience for fans traveling throughout the … region.”

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.