Amtrak suspends services in Carbondale, other cities due to labor contract negotiations
CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) – Amtrak began phased adjustment to its service in Carbondale in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week.
The city of Carbondale received a message from Amtrak on Sept. 13 stating the company began phased adjustment to it service due to ongoing freight rail – rail labor contract negotiations.
Those negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce, but could “significantly impact intercity passenger rail service, as Amtrak operates almost all of our 21,000 route miles outside the Northeastern U.S. on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads.”
Amtrak issued the following statement.
Dear Passenger Transportation Partner:
Amtrak is issuing the following statement so you can be aware of possible negative impacts to intercity transportation services in your community:
Information:
Amtrak is closely monitoring the ongoing freight rail – rail labor contract negotiations. The negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce. While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week. Such an interruption could significantly impact intercity passenger rail service, as Amtrak operates almost all of our 21,000 route miles outside the Northeastern U.S. on track owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads. These initial adjustments include canceling some Long Distance routes starting on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, and could be followed by impacts to all Long Distance and most State-Supported routes. These adjustments are necessary to ensure trains can reach their terminals before freight railroad service interruption if a resolution in negotiations is not reached.
Customer Impact:
- Amtrak will only operate trains this week that we can ensure will have enough time to reach their final destinations by 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16.
- Suspended services starting TODAY Wednesday, Sept. 14:
- City of New Orleans (Chicago-Champaign-Carbondale-western Kentucky-Memphis-Jackson-New Orleans)
- Coast Starlight
- Crescent
- Lake Shore Limited (Chicago-South Bend-Northern Indiana-Toledo-Cleveland-New York)
- Silver Star
- Sunset Limited
- Texas Eagle (Chicago-Southern Missouri-Arkansas points-Dallas-Austin-San Antonio)
- Amtrak will notify additional customers scheduled to be on upcoming trains about the possibility of disruptions.
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