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Amtrak Forced to Cancel Service Between Seattle and Portland

October 19, 2007

Amtrak Forced to Cancel Service Between Seattle and Portland
Oct. 19, 2007 – Amtrak was forced to cancel service between Seattle and Portland after a freight train derailed late Thursday. Amtrak Cascades Trains 1000 and 100 have been canceled and Amtrak is offering refunds to passengers booked on the trains. They are attempting to arrange alternate transportation for affected passengers at this time.

A 95-car freight train with four locomotives was derailed when 13 cars jumped the tracks. No one was injured.

Passenger train traffic on both sets of tracks on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe main line was disrupted and access to a ferry terminal south of Tacoma was blocked. BNSF said they expected to reopen one of the two blocked rail lines late Friday, and it was not clear how soon the second line would reopen.

Service between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., is not affected by the temporary closure of tracks south of Seattle. The Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight Trains 11 and 14 will originate and terminate in Eugene, Ore., instead of Seattle, with alternate transportation provided between Eugene and Seattle.

The tracks carry 50 trains a day, including Amtrak and Union Pacific Corp. freight trains.

Passengers may call 800.USA.RAIL or visit http://www.amtrak.com/ for more information.

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