Amtrak cancels Thursday routes through North Dakota despite expected rail workers deal

(Fargo, ND) -- Despite the announced deal early Thursday morning for railway workers to avoid a strike, routes are still canceled for the day from Amtrak through North Dakota.

Amtrak announced the change Wednesday as a possible railroad worker strike was expected if a deal wasn't reached.

The Empire Builder route makes nearly 20 stops in North Dakota and Montana.

The news comes as it appears the trains will keep rolling on rail lines across the country following a tentative deal reached between railroad unions and the U.S. Labor Department.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh tweeted early Thursday morning that after more than 20 hours of bargaining, the rail companies and union negotiators have reached a tentative contract that will avert a threatened rail strike on Friday.

According to the Labor Secretary, the deal "balances the needs of workers, businesses and our nation's economy." Word of the agreement comes as what would have been the first nationwide rail strike in three decades threatened to shut down train service on commuter rail lines across the country.  

Although the potential strike would have involved freight rail workers, not Amtrak or its workers, the freight tracks Amtrak uses would not have been available if the strike took place.