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Amtrak trains will be running as scheduled today, after several labor unions — including Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes — agreed to not withhold track maintenance and related services from the national passenger railroad. The unions were set to stage a one-day protest because of what they consider "Congress’ and the White House’s failure to appropriate sufficient funds to maintain Amtrak services."

The strike would have attempted to underscore Amtrak’s importance to the North American economy and draw attention to Amtrak’s deteriorating infrastructure, but the unions agreed to not take job action pending an injunction hearing scheduled for Oct. 20.

"The best way to gain support for our service is to continue to provide it — not withhold it," said Amtrak President David Gunn in a prepared statement. "A shutdown, even for just 24 hours, is ill-advised and counterproductive as it undercuts the public’s faith in the reliability of our service and threatens our future."