Mudslides halt passenger train service on West Side

EVERETT – Several mudslides Saturday on the BNSF railroad tracks in the Seattle region have shut down Amtrak passenger train traffic between Seattle and Everett and Ridgefield and Vancouver until Monday, a BNSF spokesman said.

While freight trains will continue to operate on the railroad, passenger traffic will be halted as company officials examine the slides and ensure the stretches of track will be safe for passenger traffic, spokesman Gus Melonas said.

Amtrak officials said the tracks are used by Amtrak’s Cascades and Empire Builder trains.

Another landslide also affected Amtrak service between Kelso, Washington and Portland.

Amtrak said it is providing alternate transportation with chartered buses.

It expects all the tracks to reopen on Monday.