no passenger train can run on the track for 48 hours to ensure that the slide area has stabilized, per BNSF policy. Passenger trains Amtrak operates its Empire Builder on the corridor between La Crosse, Wisconsin and points west, though the train utilizes a more northerly route between Fargo and Minot. The Metra BNSF Line operates in the whole Chicago Subdivision, providing commuter rail service. These are the only passenger trains directly operated by BNSF via a "purchase of service agreement" with Metra. The Northstar Line operates north of Minneapolis on the Midway and Staples Subdivisions. Also, the Seattle Subdivision hosts Amtrak Cascades as well as Sounder commuter rail trains. Subdivisions The Northern Transcon is divided into many subdivisions. From east to west, these include: Chicago Subdivision (Chicago, IL to Aurora, IL) Aurora Subdivision (Aurora, IL to La Crosse, WI) St. Croix Subdivision (La Crosse, WI to St. Croix Jct.) Joint Canadian Pacific-BNSF lines (St. Croix Jct. to St. Paul, MN) Midway/St. Paul Subdivisions (St. Paul, MN to Minneapolis, MN) Staples Subdivision (Minneapolis, MN to Dilworth, MN) KO Subdivision (Dilworth, MN to Minot, ND) Glasgow Subdivision (Minot, ND to Glasgow, MT) Milk River Subdivision (Glasgow, MT to Havre, MT) Hi-Line Subdivision (Havre, MT to Whitefish, MT) Kootenai River Subdivision (Whitefish, MT to Sandpoint, ID) Spokane Subdivision (Sandpoint, ID to Spokane, WA) To the west of Spokane, WA (at Latah Jct, as of June 1973 to the present day), the line splits into two main routes, one using mostly the old Great Northern Railway route directly to Seattle, WA, and the other using mainly the former Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway route, but also a large section of the former Northern Pacific Railway route, to Portland, OR via Pasco and Vancouver, WA; then it travels north to Seattle. Expedited Transcon traffic is generally routed via the direct Seattle route, and slow bulk-freight traffic is generally routed via the Spokane–Portland–Seattle route (through Vancouver, WA). The Spokane–Portland–Seattle route is mostly water level with a 1.15% maximum grade near Marshall, Washington. (Note that there is a parallel BNSF-owned route that bypasses the 1.15% grade with a maximum grade of 0.8%; they operate it directionally.) There is a 0.95% maximum grade in the Napavine, Washington area. The direct Seattle route traverses the Cascade Range at the Cascade Tunnel (Scenic and Berne, Washington); it has 2.2% ruling grades in the vicinity of the tunnel. Direct Seattle