Seattle, WA. - Safety concerns and collapse risks following a massive warehouse fire north of Portland have disrupted Amtrak train service between Seattle and Portland. Restrictive measures are in place because investigators fear train vibrations could cause the weakened structure to collapse.
The disruption stems from a fire approximately one week ago at the Centennial Mills warehouse, which is near train tracks. What remains of the building is highly unstable, creating environmental and health hazards including potential exposure to lead and asbestos if the structure falls.
The travel disruptions have left King Street Station in Seattle packed with travelers rerouting. Amtrak is routing many passengers bound for Portland onto substitute buses to bypass affected rail lines.
Glen Shuster, a passenger traveling from Portland, described the scene inside the station as passengers adjusted to the service changes.
“And of course the big fire by the old warehouse is kind of closing all the lines,” Shuster said.
He explained that bus transfers allow some commuters to reach their destinations despite the closures. “We’ll take a bus down past the damaged lines and boom. Continue the trip,” Shuster said.
However, the bus transfers have presented challenges for other travelers depending on their ticketing and luggage. Kerri Mickelsen, a passenger attempting to reach Portland, encountered unexpected logistical hurdles on her journey.
“But the train station isn’t walkable to anywhere I can get with two suitcases,” Mickelsen said. She noted that her ticket did not cover bus transportation to Portland, leaving a gap in service across the river. “And there’s no way to get from Vancouver to Portland without paying $75 for an Uber,” Mickelsen said.
Amtrak is not the only rail carrier navigating the safety restriction. Freight companies including Union Pacific previously attempted to resume train operations over the weekend, but the city of Portland urged them to delay movements due to ongoing collapse risks. Union Pacific is holding off on transporting hazardous materials through the rail corridor until later this month.
Amtrak has posted a modified operational schedule effective until at least Aug. 14, 2026. The temporary schedule includes selective train cancellations, direct bus substitutions between Seattle and Portland, and partial bus bridges between Portland and Vancouver, Wash.
Affected passengers may rebook their travel or request full refunds at no additional charge through Amtrak’s website, the mobile application, or by calling Amtrak’s Customer Care Center at one-800-USA-RAIL.