On Wednesday, Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) announced plans to meet with Amtrak and BNSF Railway Co. officials to ensure the Empire Builder continues to serve North Dakota.

Although Amtrak has no plans to change service to any stations in the state, the railroad “does have concerns about the long-term impact of flooding on the safety of a portion of BNSF-owned track near Churchs Ferry,” said Dorgan in a prepared statement.

“The Empire Builder is a critical part of North Dakota’s transportation network [and] Amtrak officials have assured me they understand this,” he said. “I want to get all of these parties together in the same room so we can find a way to make sure there is no disruption in Empire Builder service.”

A senior member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Dorgan also is a member of the appropriations subcommittee that governs Amtrak’s federal funding.