Amtrak to suspend some Crescent service in Jan., Feb.

WASHINGTON - Amtrak service will shut down in parts of the Southeast for several days in January and February for rail maintenance by Norfolk Southern Railway.

Amtrak says the New York-to-New Orleans Crescent - which stops in Gainesville twice daily - will not be provided between Atlanta and New Orleans on select days those two months. The Crescent will continue to stop in Gainesville and Toccoa but southbound service will terminate in Atlanta.

North and southbound trains on the route will terminate and begin service in Atlanta.

The maintenance dates are Jan. 6-9; Jan. 20-23; Jan. 27-30; and Feb. 3-6

"We do not own that track, we do not maintain that track, but we do operate over that track," said Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm.

However, the weekend schedule will remain the same, Amtrak officials said.

"On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during this period, trains will serve all stations along the route, but may encounter delays due to speed restrictions and freight train interference," they said.

(AccessNorthGa.com's Ken Stanford contributed to this story.)

http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/12/269379