Service on one of BART’s busiest train lines was disrupted for an hour in Contra Costa County this morning by a possum.

The marsupial paid with its life when it wandered into a track switching mechanism near Concord, burning out the switching motor and halting train service between Concord and Pleasant Hill until repairs were made.

“I’ve been here four and a half years and this is the first time I’ve heard of this happening,” said BART spokesman Jim Allison.

BART created a bus bridge to shuttle passengers past the temporary service blockage.