(Source: Railway Age, March 27, 2014)
NEW YORK — In recent months, the ontime performance of Amtrak’s Empire Builder has been severely impacted by heavy freight train congestion on host railroad BNSF Railway’s Northern Corridor. A near-exponential spike in crude oil traffic, with loaded trains originating in North Dakota’s Bakken region, is causing a significant portion of the congestion. To help deal with this situation until BNSF is able to improve capacity, Amtrak Empire Builder trains will operate on a modified schedule, starting April 15, with most of the change affecting operation between St. Paul, Minn., and Portland, Ore., or Seattle.
Full story: Railway Age