Amtrak is working to restore long-distance rail service following a tentative deal to avoid a threatened freight rail strike.
The shutdown, which affected routes like the Southwest Chief connecting Chicago to Los Angeles, began on Tuesday.
It had expanded to include 15 long-distance routes as the Friday strike deadline grew closer.
Service was never threatened along the popular Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington.
If those employees went on strike, passengers could have been stranded in the middle of their trip.
The negotiations do not involve Amtrak or the Amtrak workforce, the company said in a statement.
Rail service continued in the Northeast because Amtrak owns the rail lines there.
Its high-speed Acela trains continued operating on a full schedule between Boston and Washington, the company said.
Amtrak cancellations had already affected passengers, who have had to scramble to make other transportation plans.
There is simply no way to disentangle the passenger and freight operations."
But he urged the national rail company to treat passengers fairly.
