ATLANTA — A technology glitch that affected several Norfolk Southern systems — including positive train control and its freight yard operating system — caused delays across the railroad today.
“Earlier today, Norfolk Southern experienced a technology hardware outage that impacted some operations. At this time, we have no indication that this was a cybersecurity incident. We are resolving the outage and trains that are on our lines resumed movement this afternoon,” railroad spokesman Connor Spielmaker said.
In a late-evening statement, the railroad said all systems were restored by 7 p.m. ET, but that it expected the impacts of the outage to last “at least a couple of weeks.” The company is working with customers on updated timings for their shipments.
The intermittent outage, which also affected the railroad’s customer portal and other systems, began this morning and lasted for several hours. Trains that could not connect to the PTC system were not allowed to proceed.
Virginia Railroad Express, the Washington-area commuter railroad, canceled and held trains on its Manassas Line due to the outage. The railway canceled train 331, it said in a 5:19 p.m. service alert.
At 6:08 p.m., VRE told commuters to seek alternate transportation. But in a 6:22 p.m. alert, VRE said Manassas Line trains have been permitted to proceed into NS territory. Train 333 was running 20 minutes behind schedule, VRE said.
The outage affected Amtrak’s Crescent as well as Piedmont service in North Carolina, the New York-Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian, Chicago-Michigan Blue Water and Wolverine service, and Northeast Regional service to Norfolk and Roanoke, Va.