Damage from an Acela II pantograph is at the center of a new dispute between Amtrak and Metro-North. Amtrak claims that Metro-North is not allowing test runs that Amtrak needs for safety and certification purposes in the aftermath of an Acela II pantograph damaging a portion of the commuter carrier's overhead wire near MP 44.2 (Westport, CT) and Amtrak's refusal to reimburse Metro-North for the damage.
This led to Amtrak filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on April 22nd. Metro-North has remained tight-lipped about the fracas, referencing Penn Station Access, an effort to open Penn Station to commuter trains that originate on former New York Central and New York, New Haven & Hartford lines.
Connecticut Insider: Wiring incident in CT is key part of Amtrak vs. Metro-North lawsuit