Supply chain, travel concerns grow as deadline for freight rail strike looms

WINONA, Minn. (KTTC, CNN) – Amtrak announced Monday that it is preemptively suspending service on some of its long range routes, mostly out of Chicago, due to a possible freight rail strike.

“Amtrak is closely monitoring the ongoing freight rail — rail labor contract negotiations. The negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce. While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week,” Amtrak said in a statement.

Among the routes being suspended are long distance routes from Chicago to Los Angeles, Chicago to Seattle, Chicago to San Francisco and a portion of one of its routes that runs from Los Angeles to San Antonio.

Other routes include the Empire Builder, which makes stops in La Crosse, Winona, Red Wing, St. Paul and St. Cloud.

About 60,000 union members who work for the railroad are set to go on strike, including the engineers and conductors who make up the two-person crews on each train.

Even though 45,000 other union members belong to unions that have reached tentative deals with the railroads, a strike by engineers and conductors would bring the freight rail system, which carries nearly 30% of the nation’s freight, to a grinding halt.

Winona Chamber of Commerce President Christie Ransom said a strike could potentially be devastating to the city, as it relies on the freight trains to bring manufacturing materials to the area. She said the suspended Amtrak routes could also hurt Winona’s tourist industry.

“It’s such a filter down effect,” she said. “So, obviously this causes great concern for our region with all the healthcare and manufacturing that could be impacted. But, as far as Americans, and the workforce, it’s going to be straining on our economy even greater, too.”

The strike could mark the first one from a national railroad in 30 years. It could begin as soon as this Friday.

Amtrak calls these “initial adjustments” and says it “could be followed by impacts to all Long Distance and most State-Supported routes.”

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