The entire Pacific Northwest region of the US essentially has no train service indefinitely.
"Amtrak determined its fleet of Horizon trainsets had to be parked immediately due to concerns about corrosion in the aging equipment.
The decision left only one trainset in service on the route that serves 18 stations between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia."
@shansterable #Amtrak Amtrak was running modern Talgo trains. Politicians questioned why FRA had given expemption to allow modern trains to run in USA and after the derailment (where the train remained intact despite falling off bridge) it was decided Amtrak had to widthdrw the Talgos, and all Amtrak had left were some commuter cars (Horizons are commuter Comet cars built for Amtrak).
@jfmezei @shansterable This is so upsetting. We were thinking about redoing our train trip to Seattle for our 20th anniversary this summer, but maybe not. 
@spiegelmama @shansterable This train is not "Amtrak" per say, but Amtrak Northwest and is paid for by state of Washington (WSDOT) and has its own fleet. It depends on whether Antrak will agree to lend replaceent fleet to WSDOT. WSDOT has ordered some steel Venture cars frm Siemens to replace the Talgos and managed to grab some old Horizon cars from Amtrak to fill the gap, Depending on how the war between USA and Canada goes, it would be likely that WSDOT will find replacement trains by summer
@jfmezei @shansterable I'm so mad about that, too. I hate that we're in a cold war with the best neighbors we could have. I'm sorry about it all.
@jfmezei
@shansterable the big derailment also had nothing to so with the talgos either, if i remember correctly. it was like, all operators error.
@pansytram @shansterable Correct, the Talgos derailed due to overspeed in a curve. But because they had been given a exemption by FRA and it derailed, the policitians pounced on it to have these foreign trains removed. I saw the public hearing where polictians criticised FRA for allowing Talgos.
@jfmezei it was such a mind-numbing debacle. driver takes a 30-or-so mph curve at track speed and our petty little statesmen get rid of some killer trainsets 
@shansterable fugg. I guess it's exclusively Coast Starlight for me from here on out then.
@shansterable @ItsaMeWario Wait what? I thought they got a new fleet of spanking new trains to run that route like 15 years ago? Am I remembering that wrong?
@Thumper1964 @shansterable @ItsaMeWario You're remembering correctly, though it was about 25 years ago now. But basically, they got an FRA exception to use the Talgo trains, there was a big wreck a few years ago, even though the Talgo trains weren't the problem it brought scrutiny on why they were allowed, so they had to get rid of them.
It's pretty frustrating.
@shansterable Ah, now freight can run on those tracks without being vexed by passenger trains.
(Last time I rode Amtrak we arrived 8 hours late on the outbound and 12 hours late on the return, largely due to blockage from those giant "precision" freight trains.)
@shansterable same in the Midwest for the new connection between St Paul and Chicago
was it a refugee train service?
@shansterable Train lines were a huge part of the US history. Something they were so proud of, which allowed to quickly go from the east coast to the west coast as early as in the 19th century.
Now everytime I read about the US train lines, it looks like a fucking joke.
@shansterable god, the state of rail infrastructure in America is sad.
Why ride a modern and comfortable train when you can drive a swasticar?
@shansterable@ohai.social they were pretty damn expensive to start with, not worth it in the first place.