BREAKING: Amtrak cancels passenger service ahead of railroad strike

Amtrak workers are not involved in a labor dispute, but the company's trains operate almost all of their 21,000 route miles outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC) on tracks owned, maintained, and dispatched by freight railroads, whose union workers are gearing up to strike. According to a Daily Mail report, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers announced on Wednesday that its 4,900 workers voted to reject a deal its leaders reached with freight railroad companies.

Amtrak announced it will begin suspending service for the Southwest Chief route from Chicago to Los Angeles, the Empire Builder route from Chicago to Seattle, the California Zephyr route from Chicago to San Francisco, and the Los Angeles to San Antonio portion of the Texas Eagle route starting Tuesday.

"While we are hopeful that parties will reach a resolution, Amtrak has now begun phased adjustments to our service in preparation for a possible freight rail service interruption later this week," Amtrak said in a statement Monday.

The company also said it will only operate trains this week "that we can ensure will have enough time to reach their final destinations by 12:01 a.m. on Friday."

Most passengers will remain unaffected by the cancellations, as the majority travel within the Amtrak-owned NEC tracks. The high-speed Acela trains will remain operating on a full schedule, "and only a small number of Northeast Regional departures would be impacted."

Transport Sec. Pete Buttigieg has not yet commented on the matter.