Amtrak’s Adirondack line service shutdown extended to 18 weeks for track modifications
By Eric Anderson and James M. Odato
A planned six-week shutdown of Amtrak’s Adirondack service through the North Country to Montreal for track modifications will stretch to nearly 18 weeks, with the first train not scheduled to operate along the full route until Sept. 9
According to a letter obtained by the Explorer and Amtrak booking closeouts, the longer freeze took effect without a public message from Amtrak.
The three-times longer suspension comes during the peak summer vacation season in the Adirondack region.
Amtrak had reached an agreement last month with rail operator CN on modifications that would improve reliability over CN tracks used by Amtrak’s Adirondack service. In a joint statement, the two companies had left open the possibility schedules would be disrupted.
“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,” they said.
The agreement followed efforts by Rep. Elise Stefanik and other elected officials to improve service after numerous delays during the summer of 2023.
The current shutdown began May 20.
In the meantime, the Adirondack line is operating as far north as Saratoga Springs.
Tracks between Rouses Point and Montreal will be modified to address heat restrictions that forced trains to operate at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour when temperatures exceeded 86 degrees.
CN and Amtrak couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
An Amtrak customer from New York City, George Locker, a frequent visitor to Saranac Lake, said he was booked for a July 8 trip to Plattsburgh.
But he got a text message this week from Amtrak informing him of a cancellation. When he called directly, he was told by the company that service is cut through Sept. 9 north of Saratoga Springs.
“I’ve very disappointed that Amtrak has abandoned the North Country for the summer,” Locker said.
North Country Chamber of Commerce President Garry Douglas said the latest disruption is disheartening. “All we can do is accept this comedy of mismanagement by Amtrak and hope that this time the early September target for resolution is real,” he said. “Tourists, students and others keep showing they’re ready to return to the service and miss it but it’s like Charlie Brown with Lucy and the football. And so we lose another summer which clearly didn’t need to happen.”
Service on the Adirondack line was disrupted when the border with Canada was closed in the wake of the pandemic.
And in 2023, Amtrak suspended service north of Saratoga Springs because of the heat for 79 days, according to Stefanik’s office.
Another border disruption was looming Friday afternoon as employees of the Canada Border Services Agency, who process travelers and trade, were threatening to go on strike.
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James Odato
In a career rooted in watchdog reporting, Explorer editor James M. Odato has been cited as one of New York’s top journalists covering state government, gambling, and abuse and waste of public money. He has written thousands of articles, his byline has appeared in numerous national publications and his investigative stories have spurred reforms. As a staff reporter for five daily newspapers, including the Albany Times Union and Buffalo News, Odato has received more than 30 awards from the Associated Press, New York Publishers Association, the New York Legislative Correspondents Association and other media organizations. In 2007, Investigative Reporters and Editors recognized his reporting with the Freedom of Information Award Medal. In October 2021, the University of Massachusetts Press released his book, This Brain Had a Mouth, Lucy Gwin and the Voice of Disability Nation.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Al Whalen saysI call BS on Amtrak for stopping the train in Saratoga Springs. There is no reason to not run at least to/from Plattsburgh on a temporary basis. They can just run the train with an engine on each end or a cab car like they do for the Ethan Allen and Vermonter. It just takes a little effort. Fueling can be done by truck at the Bluff Point yard. There is plenty of space there to store the train overnight and it is fairly secluded so as not to bother any neighbors. CPKC Railroad should be a good steward and at least rent them the space.
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- Carolyn Vanderhoof says
That would take special permits to fuel the train. Get on it AMTRAK please on just come to Westport lol
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- Al Whalen says
No special permits are required to fuel the train by truck. It is done nationwide, including several locations in NY State. It is no different than fueling construction machinery onsite. Amtrak does it that way right at their Rensselaer station. Fuel delivery companies can get the correct fitting for locomotives. Again, there are zero valid excuses to not run to the North Country!
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- Neil Morrone says
My goodness what a continued disregard of an entire segment of New York’s Northern upstate communities.
I am from Saratoga Springs, therefore for me to continue to use Amtrak Service to downstate still remains, but my option to travel north on The Adirondack is again disrupted. I feel terrible for the North Country Communities that are again abandoned — even if only temporarily.
Why hasn’t an interim dedicated Bus service been implemented to handle the void between Saratoga Springs and some point to the far north of New York? I’m lost for any futher words!Reply
- Boreas says
Combine this with the complete loss of ferry service between Port Kent and Burlington, one could begin to get the idea we are not well represented in government.
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- Todd Eastman says
Perhaps if Elise Stefanik had been less involved in polishing her Trump creds and drilled down on CN’s maintenance practices, the updating of the track conditions might have been already accomplished…
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- Bob Reardon says
The fault isn’t Amtrak’s, it’s all on CN’s shoulders. Freight companies own the majority of the tracks that Amtrak runs their trains on. CN is the one that neglected the line, Amtrak isn’t responsible for maintenance on rails they don’t own.
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- Jeremy itz says
rip the tracks out. Make more rail trails.
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- Van says
Amtrak is America’s G N P………..Grosses National Product.!
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- Chuck Samul says
I believe Amtrak is tenant on CN line between Rouses Pt and Montreal. I am not well versed on Canadian practices on trackage rights agreements but I would suspect Amtrak has very little leverage and cannot cause CN to make this track work a priority.
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- Nina Wolff says
As previously mentioned, it’s also shocking that ferry service between Port Kent and Burlington has been permanently discontinued. I took the ferry many times before Covid; it was a beautiful ride and always well populated. Perfect if you got off the train at Port Kent and needed to get to Burlington. Now you have to drive all the way up to Plattsburgh . And it’s just gone. Why?
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- Michael Roback says
talk to Elise…
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- Bill says
Elise is too busy worshipping a twice impeached, convicted felon with no soul to be worried about something that might actually improve the life of the people.
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