Amtrak is responding to customer requests to be notified directly of major Northeast Corridor service disruptions using Twitter and a new @AmtrakNEC handle in a pilot program effective on Tuesday.

Twitter users who choose to follow @AmtrakNEC will be notified of major service disruptions resulting in extreme delays or stoppage of all rail traffic, whether the issue is the result of commuter, freight or Amtrak rail equipment; severe weather; police activity; and track or other infrastructure matters.

Followers will then be notified when the corridor is significantly disrupted for Acela Express and Northeast Regional and other Amtrak trains between Washington, D.C., and Boston, Keystone Service trains between Harrisburg, Pa., and New York City, via Philadelphia and Shuttle trains between Springfield, Mass., and New Haven, Conn.

Notifications of disruptions that affect a single Amtrak train will continue to be made aboard that train — and at stations — and will not result in a tweet.

There will be a link to these tweets from Amtrak.com and they will be relayed to the news media along with the more detailed Amtrak Service Alerts already being produced and posted on Amtrak.com.