Amtrak Press Statement

CHICAGO — “Amtrak was willing to help bring the ski train back after Iowa Pacific Holdings (IPH) could not arrange with Union Pacific (UP) to provide train crews to operate a ski train over UP owned tracks, as UP had in the past. We worked for three months on a plan to run these trains for IPH while not putting our scheduled intercity passenger trains – and U.S. taxpayers – at risk.

“Two days before Amtrak planned to operate a test train for IPH and five days before the start of its season, IPH could not provide to Amtrak a federally certified safe train to operate and adequate insurance. IPH has not been able to supply locomotives with adequate power and brakes to even test their rented railcars back and forth into the mountains. Nevertheless, since October IPH sold tickets for a schedule they knew could not be met even in the best circumstances.

“IPH had many things to put in place before the ski train could become a reality and their failure to execute their own plans is why this train never left the station.”