Amtrak Restores Long-Distance Trains After Tentative Labor Agreement Reached

(KDLM) – Amtrak has announced that it will be restoring all long-distance trains after canceling them in anticipation of the railroad labor strike.

“Amtrak is working to quickly restore canceled trains and reaching out to impacted customers to accommodate on first available departures,” the national railroad said in a statement.

 Amtrak started canceling all long-distance passenger trains on Wednesday, September 14th, effective Thursday, because of the possible work stoppage on freight railroads. However, the railroads and union representatives reached a tentative agreement yesterday, thus avoiding a strike.

The two sides negotiated for 20 hours on Wednesday with a Friday deadline looming. President Joe Biden called Labor Secretary Marty Walsh during the negotiations and told everyone in the meeting to consider what a strike will do to families, farmers and businesses. Following the announcement of an agreement, Biden said, “These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned. The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come.”