PORTLAND, Ore. — Amtrak has suspended all train service between Portland and Seattle after a landslide. Amtrak announced the closure Tuesday morning, saying it was prompted by a BNSF Railway passenger train moratorium following the landslide.
According to BNSF, the slide happened about 6 miles north of Vancouver, stopping traffic around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. While freight trains are moving through the area again, passenger service remains suspended.
The closure impacts Amtrak Cascades and Amtrak Coast Starlight trains. Most of the Portland-to-Seattle section of both lines uses BNSF-owned tracks. The news release did not say where along the route the landslide occurred or the severity of the damage.
Train service is canceled through 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to a news release from Amtrak, but trains between Portland and Eugene and between Seattle and Vancouver, BC will continue operating normally. The news release and an alert on Twitter both mention that alternative transportation for the Portland-to-Seattle section will be provided.
Riders with booked tickets can modify their trips on the Amtrak app, Amtrak.com or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. Cancellation fees will be waived, Amtrak said.
The cause of the landslide was not specified, but the news comes amid around of heavy rain in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington caused by a series of atmospheric rivers hitting the region. A Flood Watch is in effect for most of the area through Wednesday night.
Portland officials have warned residents to prepare for possible flood impacts, and localized flooding on roadways along the Oregon coast prompted the Tillamook and Seaside school districts to cancel classes Tuesday. Sections of U.S. Highway 101 and State Route 6 near those two cities were closed Tuesday morning due to flooding. Several counties in western Washington have also been warned to prepare for possible flood impacts.