BART spokeswoman Luna Salaver said the train stopped between the two stations at 5:08 p.m. and blocked both tracks. BART began restoring service at 6:30 p.m. and trains were back on schedule as of 7:30 p.m., Salaver said.
"The cause of the train breakdown is currently under investigation," she said.
Caltrain and the San Francisco Municipal Railway provided mutual aid during the incident.
The breakdown caused major delays for commuters heading to and from the East Bay.
BART spokesman Linton Johnson said at one point, BART had to stop letting commuters enter the platform level at the Powell Street station because it was overflowing with customers awaiting trains.
Some commuters experienced delays in excess of 30 minutes.
