Hundreds of MBTA and Amtrak passengers were kept waiting Wednesday evening because a man thought the train track between Back Bay and South Station was the perfect place to catch up on some sleep, according to the T.

Edward Leahy (Transit Police)

Transit Police received a radio call around 4 p.m. for a man lying on the tracks, prompting police to halt train service for both southbound and westbound trains while they searched the area.

Police found Edward Leahy, 53, of Boston alongside the track approximately 100 yards north of the Track 1 platform at Back Bay Station, Transit Police said.

“Leahy did not offer an explanation as to why he choose such a dangerous area to sleep and denied wanting to hurt himself,’’ Transit Police wrote in a summary of the incident. Police said the area Leahy ended up in was marked with “No Trespassing’’ and “Danger High Voltage’’ signage.


Commuters were delayed for about half an hour.

Leahy was placed in custody for trespassing and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Boston Municipal Court.