LINDENWOLD — PATCO celebrates a return to regular service with free rides on Friday morning.

The hi-speed line that runs from Lindenwold into Philadelphia was knocked out on Monday morning when a utility pole was hit by a Conrail train on a track next to the Ferry Avenue station. A conduit attached to the pole fell onto the PATCO tracks.

The gates will open at 6 a.m. to allow for free passage until 9 a.m.

PATCO ran a limited schedule all week as repairs were made. Full service was restored on Thursday afternoon.

“We know that our service interruption and modified schedule this week have caused significant strain and inconvenience for our customers,” Ryan N. Boyer, DRPA’s Board chairman, said in a statement. "As a way of acknowledging our customers, we have decided to offer free rides for the Friday morning rush hour. We hope that this is helpful to our frequent commuters, and we also encourage new riders to use this as an opportunity to give PATCO a try.”

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ.

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