Tugboat hits NJ bridge, delaying rail service

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(NEW YORK) — A tugboat struck the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River on Tuesday, causing New Jersey Transit rail service in and out of New York's Penn Station to be temporarily suspended, NJ.com reported.

The tugboat struck the bridge at about 1:10 p.m., according to Amtrak officials, and the span reopened at 2 p.m. after inspectors found no damage or signal issues. NJ Transit said trains resumed running at about 2:20 p.m with 45-minute delays.

It was the second incident at the 108-year-old bridge in two weeks. On Oct. 30, the bridge failed to lock in place for more than an hour and triggered major delays during the evening commute. The swing bridge carries trains over the river between Secaucus and Kearny.

No information was available about the tugboat involved in the incident.

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By Professional Mariner Staff