Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara announced today the partial restoration of Amtrak service north of Rensselaer to Schenectady and Saratoga following his letter to Amtrak’s CEO, Stephen Gardner, dated June 27^th, 2023. In the letter, he expressed concerns about the impact of this disruption on local tourism, travelers, and businesses in the Capital Region. He also urged Amtrak to take immediate action to ensure the continuation of the Adirondack service at least to Saratoga Springs and potentially to Plattsburgh until a resolution is reached with Canadian National.

Amtrak announced that starting Monday, July 24^th, the Adirondack operations will extend 37 miles beyond Albany-Rensselaer to Saratoga Springs. However, service to Montreal still remains suspended until mid-September. In a new letter to Amtrak’s CEO, Assemblyman Santabarbara acknowledges that the measure falls short and urges further action to develop a plan for Amtrak trains to operate at least to points north as far as Plattsburgh.

The partial restoration of Adirondack Service comes after a recent dispute between Amtrak and the Canadian National Railroad (CN). CN imposed a restrictive 10 mph speed limit on their tracks in Canada whenever the air temperature exceeds 86 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to Amtrak abruptly canceling service north of Rensselaer.

"While I am pleased to see the restoration of service to Saratoga Springs, it is essential that we work towards a prompt resolution to restore service at least to points north as far as Plattsburgh to benefit upstate New York's residents and visitors," stated Assemblyman Santabarbara.

Assemblyman Santabarbara has stated that he will continue to advocate for the full restoration of Adirondack service in New York to better serve the needs of the communities in the region.