CHICAGO — Amtrak has canceled several long-distance trains in and out of Chicago for multiple days because of a forecast of extreme cold weather. The regional Borealis is also affected. The first cancellations begin today (Wednesday, Jan. 21).
The eastbound and westbound Empire Builder departures slated for today through Saturday, Jan. 24, have been canceled. Beginning Thursday, Jan. 22, the City of New Orleans and Texas Eagle are canceled in both directions, also through Saturday. The Texas Eagle through service scheduled to depart Los Angeles on Jan. 21 and 23 will terminate in San Antonio, while the through service scheduled to leave Chicago on Jan. 23 will originate in San Antonio.
Canceled Jan. 22 and 23 are both directions of the Chicago-Twin Cities Borealis. No other regional service has been canceled as of this morning.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with our contract meteorologists, host railroads, and local officials, Amtrak is notifying customers of service cancellations due to predicted dangerous weather conditions,” the railroad said in a statement. “Customers are being offered rebooking options and refunds without penalties.
“The safety of our customers and our team members remains our highest priority. We are taking these proactive steps to limit exposure to hazardous conditions for our customers and team members and to protect our rail equipment. We are also aligning with and supporting state and local authorities who are advising the public to avoid travel during this winter storm.”
The National Weather Service is predicting that low-pressure systems arriving in the Great Lakes region beginning tonight will bring extreme cold and major lake-effect snow downwind of the Great Lakes. Wind chills could fall below minus-50 degrees in the Northern Plains and up to 2 feet of snow could fall downwind of Lake Ontario. The Chicago-area forecast includes Friday highs ranging from 3 degrees to minus-5 and lows of minus-5 to minus-14, with wind chills as low as minus-35.
Amtrak explains how it addresses extreme winter weather at this page on its website.
In unrelated moves, canceled today because of equipment issues are Lincoln Service train No. 302 between St. Louis and Chicago, and two Wolverine trains: No. 350 between Chicago and Pontiac, and No. 355 between Pontiac and Chicago.
In the Northeast, Amtrak says it is “closely monitoring” the path of the storm and service adjustments may be necessary.
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The top executives at Amtrak are mostly all former AIRLINE executives…..they don’t understand that trains can operate in snow and cold temperatures.
I’m curious–does VIA in Canada, running similar equipment in colder, snowier weather, have similar problems? If not, why not? Appreciate any thoughts. Thanks.
I rode the Hiawathas CUS-Columbus, Wisc. in the mid-late 1960’s to-from college, i.e. Ohio (via NYC, Milw. Rd to Madison.) No problem.
My wife (long before we met) commuted on CNW from Milwaukee to college in Ashland (Wisconsin). That’s in the -50F zone. No problem.
As of 1/21/2026, 1:50 PM CST, temperature in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, on the route of the Borealis/ Empire Builder, is +23F, filtered sunshine, no wind.
“Out of abundance of caution” is the most over used excuse every one uses since Covid.
The all weather mode is no more. Charles, is there any reason that both the Borealis and Builder couldn’t run to at least St. Paul?
Used to be; when air flights canceled, driving impossible, take the train.
There is a word for the forecasted weather here in the Great Lakes. The word is this: WINTER. There’s nothing unusual or extreme in the forecast.
The New York Central Railroad crews in upstate and western New York, who retired by 1975 or so and have since passed on, and have not been replaced, handled this stuff every January and every February.
The spare equipment, the car maintenance crews at intermediate points, etc., no longer exist, as others have pointed out on these pages.
Redundancy and resilience detract from the bottom line. Having spare equipment and crews cost money. Management simply cancels freight or passenger service and let the customers eat it. These are externalities and executives don’t care.
One round trip of the Pere Marquette (370 of the 20th and 372 of the 21st) was also cancelled due to lack of serviceable equipment.