400 passengers evacuated from elevated SEPTA train

400 passengers had to be evacuated from a stalled train on an elevated section of the Market-Frankford El this morning.

There was no fire, no one was in jeopardy, and no one was injured, said SEPTA spokeswoman Heather Redfern.

"It was a mechanical issue," she said.

After the westbound train become immobile about 7:15 a.m. between the Erie-Torresdale and Tioga stations, the fire department determined that the best course of action was to use another train to evacuate the passengers.

A second train was brought into position behind the disabled one, so passengers could file aboard.

The rescue train was backed up to the Erie-Torresdale stop, then proceeded westbound on the tracks typically used to head eastbound, to take the passengers on their way.

Their ordeal lasted about 40 minutes, Redfern said.

Other trains also shared the usually-eastbound tracks, causing delays of 20 minutes of more, until the disabled train could be moved, shortly after 9 a.m.

"There were major delays, yes," Redfern said.

Schedules were declared back to normal about 9:48 a.m.

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Contact staff writer Peter Mucha at 215-854-4342 or pmucha@phillynews.com.