Amtrak train cars derail in tunnel near Union Station

More than 200 passengers on the train were moved to other cars, which then were taken to the L’Enfant Plaza station for unloading.

Amtrak said it is investigating why the train derailed at 8:47 a.m. while moving “at a low speed” in the tunnel south of Union Station. Northeast Regional Train 86 had been traveling from Norfolk.

Amtrak service was disrupted in and out of Washington for much of the day as the railroad suspended service between Washington and Richmond. Crews were inspecting the area where the cars derailed and were working “to re-rail the lead locomotive and coach car,” the railroad said.

Tom Yackel, a 53-year-old physician from Richmond, was headed to Capitol Hill and was on the derailed train when he heard a strange metal clank outside the train car.

“It’s that moment where you’re like, ‘oh, that’s not good,’” said Yackel, who was visiting Washington as part of a group that lobbies for physicians and health care.

The derailment was more of an inconvenience for most passengers, Yackel said. He heard audible groans and complaints while waiting for firefighters to arrive and as passengers were removed from the train.

“You can’t prevent these things from happening, but it was handled really well,” he said.

Several Amtrak trips were canceled Tuesday while others began or ended at different stations than originally planned.

The incident also severely interrupted Virginia Railway Express trains. The commuter rail service said trains that entered Union Station on Tuesday before the derailment weren’t available for afternoon service. The limited number of trains available were originating from L’Enfant Plaza instead of Union Station.

Federal Railroad Administration personnel were at the site for an initial evaluation, but the agency said it is too soon to say if the incident will meet the threshold for a formal FRA investigation.