Pounding rain, blustery wind knock out power to 500,000 homes, businesses in Northeast

Northeast storm darkens 500,000 homes, businesses

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Strong winds and heavy rain pounded parts of the Northeast, knocking out power to more than a half-million homes and businesses, delaying and diverting flights, and stranding about 500 passengers on a train for more than five hours.

New Jersey Transit spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett said a northbound train became stuck on the tracks more than halfway through its trek from Trenton to New York City along the Northeast Corridor line Saturday. A diesel engine was sent to pull the train to the Rahway station, where buses were to meet the passengers. Power outages stopped Amtrak service between Philadelphia and New York.

Gusting winds downed trees and power lines throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The New York City area and southern New Jersey were among the hardest hit, with wind gusts of up to 67 mph recorded and combined outages of up to 365,000 customers.