Amtrak cancels some long-distance trains for Tuesday amid freight strike concerns
Amtrak has suspended service on some long-distance train routes beginning Tuesday as the rail industry braces for a potential strike among railroad freight workers that could begin later this week.
The cancellations beginning Tuesday impact three routes that run between Chicago and the West Coast along Amtrak's Southwest Chief, California Zephyr and Empire Builder routes. A large section of Amtrak's Texas Eagle route between Los Angeles and San Antonio is also suspended. It's part of what Amtrak is calling a "phased adjustment" to its service in preparation for the potential service interruption which the rail operator says could "significantly impact intercity rail service."
It's not clear when service might resume.
The entire rail and freight industry has been bracing for the potential of this strike, in the midst of a looming Friday deadline for negotiations. In a letter last week, the American Trucking Association asked Congressional leaders to intervene, warning such a strike could have ramifications not just for travel, but for supply chains, too.
In addition to the currently-affected long-haul routes, other routes could soon be affected, too. If there is no resolution, all of Amtrak's long-distance routes and most of its state-supported routes could soon face disruptions as well.
"These adjustments are necessary to ensure trains can reach their terminals prior to freight railroad service interruption if a resolution in negotiations is not reached," Amtrak said in a statement to TPG.
The negotiations at the center of the looming concerns do not involve Amtrak or its workers, but could have a significant impact on operators nationwide, since outside of the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak primarily uses tracks owned and maintained by freight companies.
At this point, it appears there would be minimal impact to service on Amtrak's critical Northeast Regional Corridor. Travelers are not expected to notice any changes when riding the Acela train, or on Northeast Regional trains between Washington, D.C., New York and Boston, or on associated lines to Albany, N.Y., Springfield, Mass. or Harrisburg, Penn.
The routes currently affected
The routes initially suspended by Amtrak involve long-haul service between Chicago's Union Station and the West Coast.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief route operates between Chicago and Los Angeles, making stops in Kansas City, Albuquerque and Flagstaff along the 40-plus-hour route.
The California Zephyr runs between Chicago and Emeryville, California, in the Bay Area. Over its typical 51-hour, 20-minute journey, the train makes stops in Omaha, Nebraska, Denver and Salt Lake City.
Related: 9 mistakes travelers make on their first train trips
Meanwhile, the Empire Builder runs from Chicago, making a stop in Minneapolis/St. Paul and Spokane, before continuing to either Seattle or Portland, Oregon (and in the reverse direction, too). A typical journey takes around 46 hours.
The Texas Eagle runs between Chicago and Los Angeles, making stops in St. Louis, Dallas and San Antonio. The long section of that route, between San Antonio and Los Angeles, is the portion currently suspended.
Amtrak refunding tickets, waiving fees
Amid the disruptions, Amtrak is reaching out to riders who may be affected or who could soon be impacted. The operator is offering customers the opportunity to rebook without change fees or without having to pay any fare difference. Amtrak is also offering refunds to affected travelers.
Bottom line
Amtrak has suspended service on multiple long-haul routes between Chicago, Texas and the west coast, but if labor negotiations among freight railroad workers do not reach an agreement soon, many more routes could be affected.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership RewardsĀ® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership RewardsĀ® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership RewardsĀ® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership RewardsĀ® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay ItĀ® lets you tap in the American ExpressĀ® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan ItĀ® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. Youāll know upfront exactly how much youāll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card. Thatās up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American ExpressĀ® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkinā locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American ExpressĀ® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five StarĀ® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind ā backed by American ExpressĀ® service and support. Only for American ExpressĀ® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.