Empire Builder Delay: Minot Derailment on Sept. 30

A 19-car BNSF Railway derailment in downtown Minot, North Dakota, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, blocked both main lines west of the Amtrak station and held the westbound Empire Builder for what Amtrak described as a lengthy delay. The City of Minot alert center said firefighters were called at 3:34 a.m. near 2nd Avenue Southwest, four cars tipped onto their sides, and the 6th Street underpass closed.

Travelers on Train 7 and Train 8 should treat Minot as a same-day disruption, not a routine late arrival, and recheck refunds, bus transfers, and Glacier or Seattle connections before they rebook. North Dakota trip plans that still include an overnight in Minot should start with things to do in North Dakota only after the downtown street list is current.

Nineteen Cars Left the Rails Near Downtown Minot

Minot Fire Department answered the first call at 3:34 a.m. for derailed cars near 2nd Avenue Southwest, according to the city’s running alert. By 6:25 a.m. the city said 19 cars were off the track and four had turned onto their sides. One car identified as carrying hazardous material was secured and removed during the initial response.

BNSF issued a media release that the city posted at 8:20 a.m. It said multiple rail cars carrying containers derailed at 3:35 a.m., several empty containers were on their sides, no hazardous materials were involved in the derailed cars, and no injuries were reported. The railroad said crews would clear the cars and make repairs, and that the incident was under investigation.

Those two official lines can both be true if the hazmat car was pulled out before the later railroad note. The city also said HAZMAT crews found a damaged gas line serving rail switches, Montana-Dakota Utilities shut the gas off, and the leak was secure by 7:03 a.m.

Empire Builder Passengers Face an Eight Hour Hold

Trains reported that the derailment blocked both main lines west of Minot station. The westbound Empire Builder that left Chicago on Tuesday, Sept. 29, was held at Minot, and Amtrak’s site showed a delay of at least eight hours. That is the train passengers know as the combined Train 7/27 toward the Pacific Northwest.

The eastbound Builder due in Minot on Tuesday night passed the area just before the derailment and left Minot at 3:29 a.m. Wednesday, more than four and a half hours late, Trains said. The eastbound Builder due Wednesday night was to be held at Stanley, North Dakota, where it is due at 8:40 p.m., with a delay of at least two hours. Trains updated that picture at 4:05 p.m. Central Time on Sept. 30.

Marc Magliari, an Amtrak spokesman in Chicago, told the Minot Daily News that Train 7/27 was held at the Minot passenger station for disposition. He said Amtrak was providing complimentary food and beverage and full refunds because of the temporary track closure to the west. That is the passenger-facing offer to use first, before any hotel or flight workaround.

Buses Between Minot and Stanley Change the Overnight Map

Magliari said buses were to be chartered Wednesday afternoon to transfer passengers between Minot and Stanley to meet Train 8/28. The two trains were then to exchange customers and reverse direction at Minot and Stanley. The eastbound train to Chicago was expected to be somewhat delayed even after that swap.

Stanley is about 50 miles west of Minot on the BNSF corridor toward Williston, Glacier National Park, Spokane, Seattle, and Portland. Keep ticket IDs, medication, and a warm layer in a bag you can carry off the train. This is a different problem from the July 28 bus bridge Amtrak used on the Seattle, Portland, and Spokane side of the Empire Builder.

Downtown Street Closures and the Gas Line Repair

At 6:40 a.m. the city listed four commute closures: the 6th Street underpass near the Minot Police Department, Western Avenue west of 6th Street, Maple Street, and 3rd Avenue Southwest west of 6th Street. Those are the streets a rental-car or hotel shuttle driver would hit between downtown lodging and the Amtrak platform.

At 7:21 a.m. the city said two commercial buildings at 700 and 720 Western Avenue would be closed for the day, with no visible damage, gas repairs nearby, and railroad cleanup expected around 9:30 a.m. Trains identified those addresses as medical facilities. No residences were impacted. Drive around the 6th Street underpass until the alert center says it is open.

Status Checks for Train 7 and Train 8

Open the Amtrak app or Amtrak.com, look up your exact train number, and read the latest station times for Minot (MOT) and Stanley (STN). The eight-hour westbound hold and the two-hour Stanley hold were the figures available through midafternoon Central Time on Sept. 30. Later evening times can move again as BNSF clears cars.

If you are connecting to Glacier National Park, build slack into East Glacier, West Glacier, or Whitefish rather than locking a same-evening lodge check-in. Use the Glacier National Park lodging map once you know the new arrival. Seattle and Portland sit at the far end of this route, so recheck where to stay in Seattle only after Amtrak posts a new time.

Refunds, Food, and the Next Westbound Path

Amtrak’s Chicago spokesman put three passenger tools on the record: complimentary food and beverage on the held train, full refunds for the lengthy delay, and a bus bridge to Stanley. Ask the crew or Minot station staff which of those three applies to your reservation, and screenshot the offer.

Do not assume the next train will absorb you. Magliari said Train 8/28 was the meeting train and that the two consists would reverse. Confirm the car and seat assignment after the swap. Until BNSF or the city posts a reopening time for the west mains, treat any new Amtrak time as provisional before you buy a one-way flight out of Minot.