AN A320 CAPT RPTED THAT THE TUG BEING USED FOR THE PUSHBACK AT PHL HAD A MECHANICAL PROB DURING WHICH THE CAPT WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE TUG DRIVER IN A TIMELY FASHION.

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WHEN COMING UPSTAIRS TO JETWAY DOOR; I WAS APCHED BY A RAMP WORKER AND WAS TOLD THE APU WAS INOP AND THAT I WOULD NEED AN AIR START. I AGREED. HE SAID HE WAS THE ONLY ONE HERE TO DO THAT BECAUSE A CO-WORKER CALLED IN SICK; SO IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE LONGER TO DO THINGS. THERE WAS PRECIP FALLING AND THE RAMP WAS WET. WE STARTED #1 ENG AT THE GATE. WHEN ALL EXTERNALS WERE DISCONNECTED; WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE INTO THE ALLEY. ALL SOP'S WERE FOLLOWED. WE WERE BACKED INTO THE ALLEY AND THEN THE RAMP WORKER OPERATING THE TUG STARTED TO PULL US FORWARD TO THE LINE. AS WE WERE MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY; THERE WAS A RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATION. THE ACFT STARTED TO MOVE OFF TO THE R SIDE OF THE RAMP. I COULD NOT SEE THE TUG OR ANY OTHER WORKERS. I ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS OK BUT COULD NOT GET AN ANSWER. I DID NOT WANT TO APPLY BRAKES FOR FEAR OF DAMAGE TO NOSE GEAR; SINCE THE TUG WAS SUPPOSEDLY STILL PULLING THE ACFT. FINALLY; THE TUG DRIVER YELLED THROUGH THE HEADSET TO SET THE BRAKES. I DID SO FAIRLY ABRUPTLY. I ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS OK; BUT NO ANSWER. THEN I WAS TOLD BY THE TUG DRIVER THERE WAS A BRAKE PROB OR SOMETHING WITH THE TUG. THE TUG DRIVER COULD NOT DETACH THE TOW BAR. HE HAD A MECH COME OUT TO HELP HIM DETACH THE BAR. I ASKED FOR THE MECH TO INSPECT THE NOSE GEAR. I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD AND WE WERE GOOD TO GO. I NOTICED AS TUG WAS PULLING AWAY THAT THE TOW BAR WAS SEVERELY BENT. THE TUG DRIVER SAID HE WAS OK BUT A LITTLE SHAKEN UP. WE CONTINUED ON TO ORD UNEVENTFULLY.