Port Authority offers timeline on reopening of Station Square rail stop

The Station Square light-rail stop heavily damaged by a derailed freight train should be open within a month, the Port Authority of Allegheny County said Monday.

Eight days after a Norfolk Southern train derailed on the hillside above the light-rail tracks, sending several cars tumbling down just outside the stop, the agency said in a release that the station is tentatively expected to reopen in three to four weeks.

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“We realize that a lot of commutes have been disrupted by the freight train derailment, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore service as quickly and safely as possible,” said Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman said in a release. “I’d like to thank our riders for their continued support and patience during this time.”

The agency has to repair 1,600 feet of track and 4,000 feet of power lines that were torn down, as well as a concrete retaining wall and a 5,000-pound power line support structure.

Until service to Station Square is restored, light rail service will continue to operate via Allentown. Buses will continue to be used to shuttle passengers between Lytle Station and Library Station until Blue Line service is fully restored.

Cox Media Group