Pa. public transit on the mend after Hurricane Sandy; recovery slower in N.J.

Commuters in New Jersey may need a backup plan.  

Regional public transit is on the mend after Hurricane Sandy, but still in a convalescent period.

SEPTA bus and subway lines in Philadelphia were up and running Tuesday afternoon. And regional rail service is expected to be restored and on schedule Wednesday morning.

The extent of the damage lengthened the delay, said Andrew Gillespie, a SEPTA supervising engineer, who watched a crew cutting away two trees that collapsed over a rail power line Tuesday morning. Severed wires dangled over the track.  

Across state lines, New Jersey Transit’s Nancy Snyder says her agency has not finished assessing the damage.

New Jersey felt the worst of the storm’s force. “Hurricane Sandy has devastated New Jersey Transit’s operation and our agency’s infrastructure is damaged significantly all across the state,” Snyder said.

Amtrak’s northeast corridor had ground to a halt, but the rail carrier is expected to begin restoring limited service on Wednesday. PATCO trains will run at reduced speeds.