Latest news with #KellyJust
Axios
10-04-2025
- Axios
Amtrak Cascades service restored, but with fewer seats
Amtrak Cascades service has been fully restored, with all trains between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., back and running on schedule. Driving the news: Service on the route was restored Sunday, Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just told Axios . Catch up quick: The regional line was disrupted for nearly two weeks after Amtrak pulled its Horizon cars due to corrosion issues, replacing some trips with buses. Amtrak was forced to bring in replacement cars from other parts of the country while the Horizon cars were shipped east for repairs, officials said.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Amtrak trains to and from Vancouver back on the rails
Passenger train service is largely back on the rails in Vancouver, including to and from Seattle and Portland, after Amtrak briefly pulled more than two dozen train cars from service over corrosion concerns. U.S.-based Amtrak removed the cars last week after saying recent inspections had found issues with aging and corrosion on 26 of them. Passengers were bused to and from their destinations instead, with the option of a refund, rebooking or reimbursement if the passenger had paid for business class. The Cascades route has 18 stops, including its northernmost terminus in Vancouver and southernmost in Eugene, Sunday, Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just confirmed that the trains were restored and now operating on schedule. "Since each replacement train is running with a limited number of cars and fewer available seats, we encourage customers to book in advance," she wrote in a statement. Amtrak said the Bombardier-built passenger cars have been in service since 1989. Across its entire operation, the company temporarily removed a total of 70 of the Bombardier Horizon cars. "During daily routine inspections, we spotted some corrosion and so we pulled some of the fleet and had them undergo more intensive inspection, and came to the conclusion that the corrosion was to a level that we worried about the structural integrity during a crash," Just said at the time of the cars being pulled.
CBC
06-04-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Amtrak trains to and from Vancouver back on the rails
Social Sharing Passenger train service is largely back on the rails in Vancouver, including to and from Seattle and Portland, after Amtrak briefly pulled more than two dozen train cars from service over corrosion concerns. U.S.-based Amtrak removed the cars last week after saying recent inspections had found issues with aging and corrosion on 26 of them. Passengers were bused to and from their destinations instead, with the option of a refund, rebooking or reimbursement if the passenger had paid for business class. The Cascades route has 18 stops, including its northernmost terminus in Vancouver and southernmost in Eugene, Ore. WATCH | Amtrak to and from Vancouver off the rails: Amtrak cancels some train trips between B.C. and Oregon 6 days ago Duration 1:54 American passenger rail corporation, Amtrak, is replacing most of its railcars with buses along its Cascades route. The fleet was pulled after inspectors found corrosion on the railcars. As Jon Hernandez reports, train passengers weren't too thrilled to see their travel plans upended. On Sunday, Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just confirmed that the trains were restored and now operating on schedule. "Since each replacement train is running with a limited number of cars and fewer available seats, we encourage customers to book in advance," she wrote in a statement. Amtrak said the Bombardier-built passenger cars have been in service since 1989. Across its entire operation, the company temporarily removed a total of 70 of the Bombardier Horizon cars. "During daily routine inspections, we spotted some corrosion and so we pulled some of the fleet and had them undergo more intensive inspection, and came to the conclusion that the corrosion was to a level that we worried about the structural integrity during a crash," Just said at the time of the cars being pulled.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Amtrak Cascades service fully restored after 11-day disruption
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Amtrak Cascades lines are now fully up and running after all but one were suddenly removed from service eleven days ago. According to Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just, the service was restored and trains began operating on schedule Sunday morning. Those mismatched 3-point arcs from March Madness last year? The Sports Bra made that court its bar The old Horizon trains were originally removed from service due to corrosion concerns on the aging equipment. The resulting service disruption affected service to 18 stops between Vancouver, B.C. and Eugene. Meanwhile, a total of 70 passenger cars across the country were affected, including 26 on the Amtrak Cascades route, according to spokesperson Kelly Just. In the interim, customers were offered alternative transportation or the option to cancel their trip for a full refund or rebook at a later travel date without change fees. This Washington airport ranked among best for food and drink 'experiences,' poll finds Amtrak then began looking for replacement trains from out of state, releasing a timeline for their rollout on March 31. In the meantime, Amtrak secured buses to send passengers to their destinations while they started looking for replacement trains from out of state. Despite the service restoration, Amtrak noted there will be a limited number of cars on each train, with just two coach cars, 17 business class seats and a cafe car. As a result, Amtrak suggests customers book their trips in advance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
26-03-2025
- Axios
Corrosion sidelines Amtrak trains on Cascades route
If you're planning to take the train between Portland, Seattle, and B.C., you'll get where you're headed — but more likely it will be by bus. Why it matters: Amtrak sidelined its Horizon car fleet Wednesday due to corrosion issues, highlighting the challenges posed by aging infrastructure and the impact on reliable passenger rail service. Driving the news: Amtrak canceled trains — but not service — on several routes, including Amtrak Cascades, opting to use buses to get people from one place to the next, Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just told Axios. State of play: Horizon cars are used in all but one train serving the Cascades, according to Just. That's the train that runs the 503 and 508 bookend daily trips from Seattle to Eugene and back. That train, which uses Talgo cars instead of Horizon cars, is still running its regular route, Just said. By the numbers: Amtrak's Cascades route has been booming recently, with nearly 950,000 passengers using the service last year, a 41% bump from 2023, per the Bellingham Herald. What they're saying: Affected guests were being notified of the switch to bus service, Just said. "We apologize for the inconvenience, but this was something that was necessary for us to do," Just said. "It's not the train experience you were hoping for, but we will get you there." Zoom in: Amtrak offers six daily round trips between Seattle and Portland and two between Portland and Vancouver, B.C. Amtrak will continue honoring bike reservations on the bus because "traveling with a bike is important in the Northwest," Just said. Passengers who booked business class will be downgraded to coach and given a refund. Zoom out: Amtrak was forced to sideline Horizon cars on a number of other routes nationally, including the Downeaster in New England, the Hiawatha between Milwaukee and Chicago, and the Borealis, which runs between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago. Some trains on those routes will operate with fewer cars; passengers on other routes will have to use "substitute transportation until a long-term plan is developed," Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari told Axios. What's next: Amtrak did not provide a timeline for repairs to the Horizon cars but told Axios that all impacted cars will have to be sent to the East Coast for repairs.
