Amtrak personnel initiated a track switchover project to move rail operations from one track on the 114-year-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in New Jersey to the new track on the Portal North Bridge. This Portal North Bridge track switchover work is expected to last for one month, during which Amtrak and NJ Transit trains between Newark and Secaucus will operate on a single track, potentially leading to service reductions and delays.

NJ Transit officials noted that the track switchover work is the final phase of the project's construction and a key milestone for the Gateway Program. The Gateway Program is a series of infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing passenger rail capacity along the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak expects to complete the switchover by March 14. The work involves decommissioning old bridge facilities, reconfiguring track alignment, integrating new signaling and power systems, and testing the new bridge's safety systems.

To accommodate the construction, Amtrak has adjusted schedules for over 280 trains, with reduced weekday frequencies for Acela, Northeast Regional, and Keystone services. Seven NJ Transit lines have also undergone schedule adjustments. NJ Transit has also deployed staff and signage to guide passengers during peak hours. Additionally, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York has notified that the switchover work will affect MTA Metro-North Railroad passengers traveling to and from New York Penn Station, and the arrival and departure times for NJ Transit trains at Secaucus Station will be altered.