Amtrak restores services to train lines west of Albany after shutdown Friday

H. Rose Schneider, Observer-Dispatch
·2 min read

Amtrak services have been restored on all train lines west of Albany, after safety concerns over a privately owned building in Albany caused their temporary suspension, a spokesperson for the company announced Monday evening.

Amtrak canceled services Friday on the portions of the Empire Service, Lake Shore Limited, Maple Leaf and Ethan Allen Express lines west of Albany due to concerns about the stability of Albany's Central Warehouse building. Several of these lines include stops in Syracuse, Rome and Utica's Union Station.

Amtrak crews working with state and municipal services removed the warehouse's smokestack, loose concrete, debris on the ground and other parts of the south wall, a statement from Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams said. The interior of the building was also stabilized. The work means Amtrak's scheduled trains can run again — albeit with a speed restriction through the area, Abrams said.

Speaking to the Observer-Dispatch on Friday, Abrams said the suspension of services was a preventative measure, and that no debris from the Central Warehouse building — located about 15 to 20 feet from the rail line — had fallen on the tracks.

"This is a proactive, preemptive by measure by Amtrak to ensure the safety of their passengers and employees," he said.

Train lines:Amtrak suspends services west of Albany including Utica station due to safety concerns

The Empire Service line runs between Niagara Falls and New York City while the Lake Shore Limited line runs between Chicago and New York City. The Maple Leaf line runs between Toronto and New York City. The Ethan Allen Express runs from Burlington, Vermont, to New York City.

Trains between Albany and New York City continued running during the suspension.

Customers can find out more or change or cancel their Amtrak reservation by going to Amtrak.com or the company's mobile app, or by calling their reservation center at 1-800-USA-RAIL.

H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking and trending news for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Amtrak restores services to train lines west of Albany