WASHINGTON – The Amtrak train wreck in Montana has stopped both passenger and freight traffic, forcing schedule changes for passenger service between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Amtrak turned around a Seattle-bound Empire Builder train Minot, North Dakota, and the east-bound train in Shelby, Montana. This left a 530-mile gap in service in sparsely populated areas with normally scheduled stops in:
> Stanley and Williston, North Dakota.
> Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta and Havre, Montana.
Until the wreck is cleared, new Chicago departures will turn around in Minneapolis. New Seattle and Portland departures will turn around in Shelby, Montana. There will continue to be Winona departures at 7:47 p.m. to Minneapolis but no father west. There also will continue to be Winona departures to Chicago at 10:11 a.m. but not from any points west of Minneapolis and, of course, not the derailed train.
No trains for a while. Amtrak cancelled service to three Montana and to North Dakota stops. For Malta, Montana, population 1,800, there is no air or bus service in and out town. Amtrak’s Empire Builder each day each direction is Malta’s lifeline.
Montana freight detour
The freight railroad Burlington Northern diverted some transcontinental traffic to a southerly route that connects Sandpoint, Idaho, and Billings, Montana, and then east on its own tracks into North Dakota. This is the former Northern Pacific mainline, now owned by Montana Rail Link. Amtrak has no facilities for the southerly route as an alternative.