U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) joined Eugene, Ore. Mayor Lucy Vinis, and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner Monday to celebrate Amtrak resuming service after the COVID-19 pandemic case service reductions in 2020.
DeFazio, chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, negotiated $1.7 billion for Amtrak as part of the American Rescue Plan to help Amtrak restore service across the country.
“The return to full service is a tremendous step forward in Oregon’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic crisis,” DeFazio said. “This restoration will connect economic hubs across the region and bring more than 1,200 workers back from furlough nationwide. I’m proud to have helped negotiate the critical funding that made this service restoration possible.”
Amtrak runs two national network routes in Oregon – The Coast Starlight, connecting Los Angeles-Klamath Falls-Portland-Seattle, and the Empire Builder, which connects Portland/Seattle with Spokane and Chicago.
The railroad also operates a state-supported service, the Cascades, which connects Eugene to Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 828,000 riders in 2019, the Cascades is one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the country. Since last spring, the only train service between Eugene and Portland ran once daily at 5:30 a.m. The service will run four daily trips between Portland and Seattle, two daily round trips between Seattle and Vancouver, and two daily trips between Eugene and Portland.
“I am thankful and excited to have Amtrak service return to Eugene,” Vinis said. “Our community is grateful to have a champion for rail, transit, and multimodal investments in Peter DeFazio, who is leading the charge on a once-in-a-lifetime investment in our nation’s infrastructure. Having Amtrak President Gardner make the trip across the country to visit us was a special treat, and we look forward to passenger rail growing stronger under the Biden Administration.”
Amtrak President Bill Flynn said offering daily long-distance service is a vital step in recovery. Congress’s action on the American Rescue Plan helped the company recall furloughed employees and start-up services once again.