Amtrak now mostly busing passengers to and from Vancouver after corrosion sidelines railcars

Karin Larsen · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 31, 2025 3:30 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Amtrak says buses are replacing astir of its bid work betwixt Vancouver and U.S. destinations on its Cascades route, including Seattle and Portland.

In a announcement posted to the institution website, Amtrak says its had to remove 26 rider cars from the Cascades way aft caller inspections recovered issues with aging and corrosion.

Amtrak said the Bombardier-built rider cars had been successful work since 1989. Across its full operation, the institution is removing a full of 70 of the Bombardier Horizon cars.

"During regular daily inspections, we spotted immoderate corrosion and truthful we pulled immoderate of the fleet and had them acquisition much intensive inspection and came to the decision that the corrosion was to a level that we disquieted astir the structural integrity during a crash," said spokesperson Kelly Just.

Just said Amtrak was moving rider cars from different locations to reconstruct astatine slightest a information of the service to Vancouver starting connected April 1, albeit with a shorter train. 

"Trains 516 and 519 volition really beryllium backmost successful operation, truthful that is the regular bid that goes from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., that leaves Seattle astatine 8:30 successful the morning," she said. 

The Cascades way has 18 stops, including its northernmost terminus successful Vancouver and southernmost successful Eugene, Ore.

Although galore question sectors person reported a driblet successful Canadian travelers heading to the U.S., Just said rider volumes had nary effect connected Amtrak's determination to region the bid cars from service. 

Just said refunds are disposable for customers who booked connected the bid and don't privation to instrumentality the autobus alternative.

Unlike the trains, determination is nary concern people seating connected the buses, and Just said anyone who purchased a concern people ticket for the bid volition beryllium reimbursed the difference.

Like the trains, the buses bash accommodate bicycles. 

Other Amtrak lines affected by the corroding cars are the Downeaster, Hiawatha and Borealis, located successful the midwest and eastbound U.S.