After several days of significant cancellations, operations appear to be returning to normal for both VIA Rail Canada and Amtrak.
Currently, VIA’s website and social media feed lists no cancellations today (Feb. 20) on the Windsor-Quebec corridor. VIA cancelled 19 trains on the corridor on Wednesday, Feb. 19, following 16 cancellations on Monday and 14 on Tuesday, following heavy snow in the corridor region and a Canadian National derailment near Montreal [see “VIA corridor cancellation list grows,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 19, 2025].
Amtrak had previously announced one full cancellation and three partial cancellations in the northeast because of expected heavy snows in Virginia [see “Amtrak cancels trains …,” News Wire, Feb. 19, 2025]. As of 8 a.m. today, there are three cancellations to report in the Midwest: Wolverines Nos. 351 (a 5:43 departure from Pontiac, Mich.) and 353 (an 8:50 a.m. departure from Pontiac), along with Blue Water No. 365 from Port Huron, Mich., to Chicago. The cancellations of Nos. 353 and 365 are attributed to engine issues, while No. 351 was cancelled because of “weather-related equipment issues.”
Amtrak cancelled at least three long-distance and four regional trains out of Chicago on Thursday, along with at least five full cancellations and three partial cancellations in the northeast. (The “at least” qualifier is necessary because the company is inconsistent in reporting cancellations on its Amtrak Alerts feeds.)
Let me guess. The Chargers fail again in winter weather. Just get a freight engine and a baggage car with a generator. Sell the Chargers.
It could be the case but the volume of snow that fell in a short period of time would have overwhelmed the switch heaters fowling the points.
The freight traffic has been buggering the schedule on the Toronto Windsor side compounding the issue.