Adirondack Amtrak pause expected to bring sustained long-term service

PLATTSBURGH | North Country advocates and lawmakers are applauding a long-sought agreement between Amtrak and CN Rail to better support the Adirondack Rail Service. In June 2023, CN implemented safety restrictions of 10mph which shut down service of the Adirondack Line when the temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, citing concerns about the condition of the track. As a result, Amtrak suspended service north of Saratoga Springs for 79 days. In a joint statement, Amtrak and CN Railway said they were "Pleased to have resolved the service issues associated with the Adirondack Line between Rouses Point, New York and Montreal's Central Station. In an agreement signed today, Amtrak will make a payment to CN and CN has agreed to use the settlement payment to undertake track work on its Rouses Point Subdivision for Amtrak's benefit. This track work will help mitigate, but not eliminate, heat slow order speed limits going forward. CN has been planning the work for several months and will endeavor to make the necessary work expeditiously and safely in 2024. "Adirondack service may be modified on a short-term basis in the coming weeks to ensure completion of the track work, which will help increase reliability of the service during summer months this year, and in the future. "Amtrak and CN appreciate the interest of local stakeholders and the leadership of the New York Congressional Delegation in helping to resolve this matter." While the agreement will bring a temporary six-week suspension of service for needed rail work, that work is expected to help mitigate and avoid summer-long suspensions of service due to heat-related challenges. The six-week suspension will start May 20 for the required work will be carried out, allowing service to fully resume. The North Country Chamber of Commerce was among those quick to applaud the May 17 agreement and long-term impacts. "While the journey to a favorable conclusion has seemed longer than the railway itself, we welcome the finalization of an agreement between Amtrak and CN that will avoid another summer long shutdown," said Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. "This means that the six-week suspension starting May 20 will allow the heat related challenges on a stretch of the CN line north of the border to be fully resolved so that, when service resumes at the end of June, we should see no more rail condition interruptions for hopefully years to come. And that means service will be back for most of the summer and can resume the increase in ridership we were seeing before these suspensions. We thank our federal representatives and especially Congresswoman Stefanik for the persistent pursuit of this needed agreement and commitment." Douglas notes that the Adirondack is one of just three major passenger rail services between Canada and the U.S. and is an important travel option for tourists coming to the Adirondacks and college students and their families coming up from NYC, among other users. Assemblyman Billy Jones said "The Adirondack Train that runs between New York City and Montreal is an important mode of transportation in the North Country for residents and visitors alike. The closures in past years have been detrimental to our communities and I am pleased that they are finally addressing this issue so that we can keep the train operating in the future." Sen. Dan Stec also quickly applauded the agreement and pending upgrades to the essential rail service. "Once these ongoing repairs are completed, riders will enjoy a much better experience," Sen. Stec said. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who steadily advocated for a resolution in the service issues, said the agreement "will allow tourism to flourish through the summer months, strengthening economic development in the region and our partnership with our Canadian neighbors." U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the agreement "paves the way for the track work that will improve safety and efficiency along the Adirondack route. This will allow the Adirondack Line between the Empire State and Canada to run more smoothly and regularly once again." "From Plattsburgh to Poughkeepsie and into Penn Station, the Adirondack Line is the economic engine which connects some of the most beautiful parts of Upstate New York, and resumption of this service will help pump vital tourism dollars into Main Streets across Upstate New York. Now, after years of waiting, we will soon be able to say 'full steam ahead' for fully restoring this vital line for the Capital Region and North Country economies!"

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Adirondack Amtrak pause expected to bring sustained long-term service

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