Amtrak has announced morning train service between Galesburg and Chicago is on hold.
Starting immediately, Amtrak trains 380 leaving Galesburg at 7:37 a.m. and 381 leaving Chicago at 7:35 a.m. are canceled until mid January. The two lines have been replaced with chartered buses as alternate transportation through Jan. 16.
Evening trains 382 leaving Galesburg at 6:55 p.m. and 383 leaving Chicago at 5:55 p.m. will continue to operate on this route.
Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari said the temporary suspension is due to staffing issues. Magliari said the collective bargaining agreement between Amtrak and union employees allows employees to choose their work routes based on seniority. He said enough senior employees had chosen other routes that Amtrak had to make the decision to cancel scheduled trains.
Customers who have purchased tickets will receive full refunds or be rebooked without penalty.