Snow day leads people to Flower Show, then leaves them there

An Amtrak power failure caused a travel disruption that made folks phone home.

"Boo" a 3-year-old beagle pointer mix owned by Melanie Monturano (L) and "Riley" a 1.5-year-old golden retriever owned by Ashley Cardozo had never met before today, but owners said it was love at first sight as they played in the snow behind The Hunt Club on Egg Harbor Rd. in Washington Twp. on Mar. 5, 2015. (Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer)Read more

by BY BOB STEWART, Daily News Staff Writer <a href="mailto:stewarr@phillynews.com">stewarr@phillynews.com</a>,215-854-4890

Published Mar. 6, 2015, 3:01 a.m. ET

A REGIONAL rail power failure left local travelers scrambling for another way home yesterday.

"I'll give you a cannoli for a ride home," said Maryanne Lalli of Bristol, Bucks County. She scored a free loaf of bread from one of the shops in Reading Terminal Market because the loaf was a little bit crushed.

Lalli, her husband and his parents made their way to the Philadelphia Flower Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center because they had a day off thanks to the snow. "We figured it would be less crowded than the weekend," she said. But the Trenton line being down left them out in the cold.

The Lallis called family members to see if they could get picked up in Langhorne, about 10 minutes from their home.

"I've got wine to offer, too," joked Lalli, who ran off quickly as the alternate transportation came through.

The problem with the Trenton line disrupted another traveler's much longer journey.

"I wasn't expecting any miracles," said Dianna Davis of North Jersey. "It's metal on metal. What can you do?"

Davis could not expect anyone in her family to travel that far to get her, so she set out on a different path.

"I'm going to just get to Camden and take the River Line from there," Davis said. "I'll just take a bus to Camden."

Liz Biagiola became stranded when the Chestnut Hill West line went down. She came down to the Flower Show thanks to her unexpected day off.

"It seemed like a good idea when the trains were running," she said.

Biagiola spoke with a man from SEPTA who showed her the maps of alternate lines.

"I'm just going to a different station and walking from there," she said. Biagiola still considered the trip a success because she got her favorite donuts from the Reading Terminal Market.

At the market, Ted from Shoe Doctor tried to convince people walking by to let him get the salt off their shoes.

"It eats them away," he said.

Folks coming to the city today should expect fewer travel problems. Forecasts said it will be mainly sunny but colder. The high is predicted to be only 27 degrees with a low of 11. The winds may kick up to 10 miles per hour, so full winter gear is advised.