PORTLAND, Ore. — With the possibility of a nationwide rail worker strike looming, Amtrak said all long-distance trains will be canceled starting Thursday.
Two railroad workers' unions representing 57,000 conductors and engineers are prepared to strike if there's no deal on a contract. This does not involve the Amtrak workforce, but their trains often use freight railroad tracks which will be affected by the strike if it happens.
Earlier this week, Bill White came to Union Station in downtown Portland to catch his train to Wisconsin, when he found out his train was canceled.
"I sent all my money ahead to my family of course — I had forty dollars left, that was for my baggage, I've been on trains before." White said. "If I didn't have my friends from Revolution Church, I'd be homeless right now."
White moved out of his home and is now staying with a friend while he figures out the next step. He's on a fixed income and disabled.
The Washington State Department of Transportation warned people about the service adjustments on its' website. Amtrak will provide buses for passengers who need them so they won't be stranded. Janet Matkin with WSDOT said that if the strike happens, people will not be able to take Amtrak trains anywhere in this area.
"The deadline for the negotiations is midnight on Thursday night Eastern Standard Time, which is 9 p.m. here," Matkin said. "Once that decision is made, no further trains will be operating beyond that point."
White said he knew nothing about the cancelation of his train. He said the entire ordeal has been a logistical nightmare.
"Because of this, I'm probably not going to go to Wisconsin," White said. "When you put all your time and effort into something, and you're on a set income, you don't have choices."
Officials said if an agreement is met, all services will return to normal.