HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Amtrak Service continues to move forward again after the potential strike by freight railroad workers was averted.
According to Marc Magliari of Amtrak, the Southwest Chief will begin running its full schedule again on Friday. That means the first westbound train for Hutchinson will be Saturday morning and the first eastbound train will be on Sunday.
If you had your trip canceled or are planning to board the Chief this weekend, make sure to call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL. There is also an automated agent that can provide updated schedules and status updates. You can also get updates at amtrak.com
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CHICAGO —Amtrak is working to quickly restore the Southwest Chief services across Kansas and other canceled, long distance trains and reaching out directly to impacted customers to accommodate on first available departures, according to a social media report from the rail service.
Visit http://Amtrak.com/alerts for the latest updates.
The White House announced early Thursday that a tentative railway labor agreement had been reached, averting a potentially devastating strike.
The tentative agreement will go to union members for a vote after a post-ratification cooling off period of several weeks.
“These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned,” President Biden said. “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.”