A 24-hour strike on Arriva Rail North will go ahead on 28 April after the failure of talks to resolve a dispute over the role of guards.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for the third time in a row over staffing for new trains due to come into service in 2020.
The union said it was "angry and frustrated" that the company had rejected a proposal to invite Transport Department officials to join three-way talks in an attempt to reach a solution.
The rail company says it is committed to keeping customers moving during the planned industrial action.
