Amtrak partially suspended its popular Adirondack train to Montreal — just 3 months after its post-pandemic reopening
- In April, Amtrak reopened its Adirondack line after a three-year closure amid the pandemic.
- The Adirondack train ran for just three months before it was partially suspended at the end of June.
Travelers hoping to get to Montreal via train this summer will have to find a different mode of transportation.
After just three months, Amtrak has suspended service on its Adirondack train between Albany and Montreal. The train, which is meant to run between New York City and Montreal, reopened in April after being closed for three years due to the pandemic.
According to a June 26 report from local news outlet WPTZ, the closure is due to Canadian regulations surrounding high temperatures.
"Amtrak rail partner Canadian National (CN) has implemented reduced speed regulations in Canada due to heat, impacting the Amtrak Adirondack route," an Amtrak spokesperson told the outlet. "Trains 68 and 69 will originate and terminate in Albany, NY until further notice."
Amtrak did not immediately responded to Insider's request for comment.
Radio station WXXI reported that Canadian National requires that if temperatures exceed 86 degrees, trains traveling north of the border are kept to a maximum speed of 10 miles per hour.
In a statement to Insider, a spokesperson for CN said the restrictions are put in place during extreme heat and cold, "as the rail is subject to expansion and contraction due to ambient temperature."
"Amtrak is responsible and has failed to pay for the maintenance required to keep the track at a level that accommodates its service," the statement continued. "If Amtrak agrees to make that investment, CN could upgrade the track to a level that would reduce heat restrictions."
The Adirondack train's revival in April was welcomed with considerable fanfare, with news outlets — including Insider — covering the buzzy reopening. It's currently unclear when, or if, the line will resume in full.