Amtrak, Union Pacific Railroad reach agreement for Sunset Limited track access

Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad announced an agreement that allows Amtrak to operate on a five-mile segment of Union Pacific-owned track starting near Avondale, La. The reroute of the Sunset Limited onto Union Pacific track took effect on April 1, 2026.

“Amtrak is a key industry partner, and this agreement underscores our ongoing commitment to working with them to enhance both passenger and freight rail services,” said Union Pacific Executive Vice President of Operations Eric Gehringer.

Amtrak notes that Union Pacific has given it access to its rail network since the passenger service began in 1971. Every year, Amtrak trains travel approximately 4.6 million train miles across Union Pacific’s network and 2.9 million miles on Norfolk Southern’s network.

“We are grateful to have reached this agreement with Union Pacific. Both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have shown a strong commitment to quality Amtrak passenger rail service,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President of Strategy, Planning and Accessibility Jennifer Mitchell.