Amtrak has suspended the Borealis passenger rail service between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Chicago, Illinois, replacing trains with buses after an inspection revealed corrosion in its Horizon railcars. The decision affects multiple Amtrak lines and highlights ongoing challenges with aging equipment, though the company is working on a long-term solution.
The cars, built by Bombardier (now Alstom) between 1988 and 1990, have been in service for nearly four decades. The suspension immediately affected the Borealis route, with scheduled trains replaced by chartered buses. The corrosion issue has also affected other Amtrak services, including the Hiawatha, Downeaster, and Amtrak Cascades, due to their reliance on the same Horizon equipment.