By AP/KWMU
Washington, D.C. – A monkey wrench has been thrown into plans to expand Amtrak service in Illinois next week.
Members of Illinois' congressional delegation are accusing the Canadian National Railway of violating an agreement with Amtrak.
The lawmakers say they were recently notified Canadian National will not allow one of the additional roundtrips between Chicago and St. Louis via Joliet.
It's also threatening to withhold access to the Carbondale route, and may seek to terminate all the added trains in Illinois after one year.
The improved Amtrak service was to be made possible in part by a bigger state subsidy.
The money was intended to support seven round-trip trains from Chicago to St. Louis, Carbondale and Quincy, up from three trains now.
A spokesman for Canadian National was not immediately available
for comment Tuesday.