All Amtrak Cascades routes except one will resume normal service today after a warehouse fire halted rail service between Seattle and Portland for weeks.
“We are happy to report that the tracks north of Portland are opening,” wrote Amtrak Cascades in a social media post. “Tomorrow, August 19, all Amtrak Cascades trains resume normal service, except Train 500, which will resume on Thursday, August 20.”
Amtrak Cascades confirmed that anyone with a ticket for Train 500 will be accommodated on Train 502.
Trains have been out of service since the beginning of August because of a track obstruction caused by a warehouse fire near Portland.
Amtrak previously extended its suspension of service between Seattle and Portland through August 19. During the suspension, buses were provided for most scheduled trains, but some departures were canceled due to limited bus availability.
The Centennial Mills Warehouse in Portland caught fire on August 2. Portland Fire and Rescue said the 116-year-old building was at risk of collapsing because of the damage. Demolition crews safely brought the water tower down on Monday, August 17.
In the comment section of the social media post announcing the resumption, Amtrak Cascades informed passengers, “We had to wait for the city of Portland to reopen the tracks for passenger trains. We’ve been waiting to restart service as soon as it would be safe to begin carrying our precious cargo again... YOU!”
You can learn more about the fire here.