UPDATE: Amtrak train with 183 passengers stranded in Oregon since Sunday

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Tue Feb 26, 2019, 12:48 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: ABC News/6ABC

Updated 44 mins ago

An Amtrak train with 183 passengers aboard has been stranded in Oregon since Sunday evening. The Coast Starlight Train 11, traveling from Seattle to Los Angeles, came to a standstill near the tiny town of Oakridge on Sunday evening after hitting a tree that had fallen on the snow-covered tracks, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

No passengers or crew members aboard were injured, but "conditions further deteriorated with numerous track blockages from snow and fallen trees," Magliari said in a statement to ABC News early Tuesday morning.

"Due to worsening conditions, area road closures and no viable way to safely transport passengers or crews via alternate transportation, Train 11 stopped in Oakridge, Oregon," Magliari added. "We are actively working with Union Pacific to clear the right of way and get passengers off the train."

Union Pacific Railroad, which operates more than 32,100 miles of tracks in 23 western U.S. states, is working to open a route to the train Tuesday, Magliari said. A representative for Union Pacific Railroad did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. Amtrak said via Twitter that passengers aboard the stranded train are not being charged for food or water.

Read more: https://6abc.com/amtrak-train-with-183-passengers-stranded-in-oregon-since-sunday/5157340/

---

NEW UPDATE (they also have to manually activate every switch along the way)

10:54 a.m. ET, February 26, 2019
A Union Pacific locomotive is pulling the stranded Amtrak train back to Eugene

The Amtrak train that was stranded in Oakridge, Oregon, is now being pulled by a Union Pacific locomotive back toward Eugene, Union Pacific spokesman Tim McMahan told CNN in an email.

Union Pacific owns the Oregon rail lines where the train had been stranded since Sunday night, according to McMahan.
"The train had been inoperable due to weather conditions and downed trees. UP crews worked overnight to clear the tracks," McMahan said in an email to CNN.

Amtrak said in an earlier tweet that the train will return to Seattle, rather than continue its scheduled route to Los Angeles. Eugene is northwest on Oakridge and on the route to Seattle.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/us/live-news/amtrak-stranded-oregon/index.html

Here is the tweet referenced in the article -

Link to tweet

TEXT
Slay Jude @slayjude
· 7h
Replying to @Amtrak

I am asking about the people stranded on 11 Coastal Starlight. They have been there in a town with no power, has no roads in and they are not being allowed to get food or water unless they have cash. That is NOT RIGHT. Take care of the people that trusted you. There are babies

Amtrak
✔
@Amtrak

We apologize for the confusion. Passengers on this Train are not being charged for food or water. We are doing everything in our power to make sure they are comfortable.

11:30 PM - Feb 25, 2019

YIKES!! I am hoping they can at least air-lift food/water or something in until they are able to clear the tracks/roads to get people off. That is a train route that I have wanted to go on myself - but definitely NOT in the winter!!

EDIT TO ADD CNN ARTICLE -

An Amtrak train with 183 passengers has been stranded in Oregon for more than 24 hours

By Christina Maxouris, CNN

Updated 7:25 AM ET, Tue February 26, 2019



Passenger Carly Bigby told CNN affiliate KOIN 6 the snack cart on the train is empty and people have run out of diapers for their children. "A lot of the [older] kids have been really good but they're having to run up and down and it's a lot," she told the news station.

"Especially the food -- it's not really food they're liking. Moms are doing all they can right now."
Bigby also said some people don't have good cell phone reception in the area where the train is stuck, and haven't been able to easily contact their family.

"Strangers are playing cards. A teenager played his ukulele to kids to get them to sleep. Ladies who have never met before were dancing in aisles," another passenger, Rebekah Dodson, told CNN. She told CNN affiliate KTVL train staff have remained "great, very professional" and morale among passengers has been good.

"We have to put wash clothes together to make diapers for a couple of the kids on the train," Dodson told KTVL. "We got together and got some feminine products together because several people had run out already."

More: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/26/us/oregon-train-passengers-stranded-trnd/index.html

Diaper shortage and anyone who has had or taken care of infants - babies are gonna poop.

[3Hotdogs]

1. How close is it to Donner Pass?

[BumRushDaShow]

2. From what I understand, Donner Pass is in California

And this train is stranded in Oakridge, Oregon, which is SE of Eugene, and hundreds of miles north of Donner Pass!

[zipplewrath]

5. 400 miles

But it is all up hill

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Yeah I actually googled it

and I think the fastest route shown was 423 miles, but I didn't want to belabor the point.

[zipplewrath]

8. Walking is shorter

But it takes longer. ALOT longer.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Well if you had a sled or snowboard or some skis then....

Edit - a snowmobile would be fun though.

[rickyhall]

12. How 'bout some big helicopters?

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Well if they can't clear the tracks fast enough

they may have to airlift some stuff in - at least temporarily.

I don't think they will have to go that far trying to get people out if there is no snow forecast at the moment.

[Cold War Spook]

28. Some people wait for others to die,

but you are much better of killing a few healthy people quickly. If their internet is working there are some very tasty recipes to be had.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

35. Some ideas from a site about "Eat the Rich"

RECIPE SAMPLES
Peter Kellog Corn Flakes

Roast Perlman with Confit de Kerkorian

Braised Bezos and Soros tips

Round Eye of Icahn on a George Kaiser Roll

Walton Family Stew

BBQ Sumner Redstone w/Pickled Sam Zell

Ross Perot Tartare

Sergey Brin in Brine

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anonymous is an award-winning food journalist, formerly employed by a respected national news media outlet. He/She now lives in a tent outside LA City Hall.

[FailureToCommunicate]

3. Meh. Two and a half days on a train isn't really a big deal. The engine, and heat still work and

presumably they have food (such as it is these days) for however long the original trip was going to be.

I've been on longer train trips. It's fine. Almost luxurious, in a vaguely Orient Express sorta way.

I wish them all well. It will be a story worth the telling in the years to come.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Until the fuel runs out.

That's nothing I want to have part of.

[FailureToCommunicate]

18. Train bound for Los Angeles probably had

fuel for a long distance before needing more.

[marble falls]

6. Amtrack has good food on trains, better and nowhere as expensive as in an airport.

[FailureToCommunicate]

19. If you say so. I'm guessing they're down to

ramen and Pringles soon. The article said some kids were unhappy with the food choices. Not exactly Donner Pass yet.

[marble falls]

32. If they were down to Ramen and Pringles the kids wouldn't be unhappy the choices. This train...

isn't stuck in a ravine somewhere.

Maybe if we spent on mass transit and infrastructure these things would mean very little. I'd rather sit on that train with its ample and comfortable seats than in O'Hare for two days with $8.00 Cinnebuns.



http://www.trbimg.com/img-51362937/turbine/chi-snow05oharesleep-20130305/600/600x400



Versus:



(ever try crossing your legs on a plane?)

[FailureToCommunicate]

49. Oh, I'm with you on that. I'll take stuck on a train over stuck (or worse) on a plane anyway.

Plus, it does look from the OP that they could well have had really good food onboard.
It's true, we had delicious dining care fare, but the kids prefered to go (by themselves) to the snack car and get $1 ramen.
De gustibus non disputandum est.

[marble falls]

51. Fortunately because of customers getting on and off, there's probably more food stocked ...

than just a couple of days.

This is representative of the dining cars I've eaten in on the trips I've made on AmTrack. Plus they are sleeper compartments and they can actually get room service.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. There are diaper shortages now

due to babies on the train where parents have run out of them.... as well as sanitary napkin/tampon shortages for the women. Not quite luxurious if the trip was supposed to be relatively brief.

[FailureToCommunicate]

22. Train was going to Los Angeles, so

maybe folks didn’t bring quite enough. But the report said the few babies were being accommodated by repurposed towels etc. This whole adventure will be a lesson for any family travel preparations I would hope.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. I would think the lesson is more

to avoid travel in winter... I had been gathering info on Amtrak cross-country loop routes from here in Philly and this segment is about a 1.5 days normally (e.g., basically leave Seattle mid-morning and arrive in L.A. the next night). So you shouldn't have to expect to have days and days worth of stuff to carry for that - even with someone who brings a little extra "just in case".

https://www.amtrak.com/coast-starlight-train

The route schedule - https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Coast-Starlight-Schedule-010818.pdf (PDF)

I know quite a few people (friends and family) who fear flying and will either drive or take the train or a bus, so I expect you had some of those types on here as well.

[FailureToCommunicate]

42. True, winter travel can be an adventure. But I'll take a stuck train over a grounded, or

worse, airplane any day. Plus this was probably the tail end of families school holiday week, so winter travel is hard to avoid depending on where you live/are going.

You say you're gathering train information. You will LOVE x-country trips by train! Our family has gone numerous times from East coast to Pacific Northwest, and East coast to Southwest, and to California. Haven't actually taken this Starline Coast route **yet** but it sound wonderful (maybe minus being snowbound in a remote pass)

If you have family, there is no better way to travel long distance. The kids are on the train, somewhere, roaming around, thoroghly enjoying their 'independence' and not stuck in the rear seat of a automobile. Meanwhile you're reading a book in the sunny observation car, or enjoying a sit down meal in the dining car, looking out the window at the most scenic part of America hurtling along towards your destination. Not intermdeable stops at rest stops, crappy fast food, driving into the night looking for the dang motel...

And on certain routes, sometimes National Park rangers come aboard and give talks as you pass thru natural and historic areas.

Plus, looking at the link you provided, it looks like the food has improved since the last time we hit the rails! Yum!

It truly is the civilized way to travel.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. I have some former co-workers who did the circuit

Southern route from D.C. across to L.A. then up the coast to Seattle and then across the northern tier and back down.

Was thinking about something like taking the Crescent from Philly down to New Orleans, then the Sunset Limited to L.A., then the Coast Starlight up to Seattle, then the Empire Builder across to Chicago, and finally the Cardinal back to Philly. I would definitely get a sleeper too.

I have already flown to many of the bigger cities around the country, but wanted to hit some states I haven't been to (have been to 26 including one of the hardiest ones - Hawaii). And yup I have heard and seen pics/videos of the Rangers coming on board to point out stuff.

Growing up, my mother's sister lived in New Hampshire, so we inevitably drove up there from here in Philly every summer and then drove all over that area, including going into Canada and up to Montreal (and I ended up going to college in Massachusetts). But I also went to elementary and junior high schools that required me to catch a commuter train every day for 6 years, so I don't have that much of a fantasy vision of trains either.

[FailureToCommunicate]

47. That sounds like a wonderful odyssey! You should do it! Pricey but for the trip of

a lifetime...worth every penny!

On one of our trips, the latest Harry Potter had just come out. Everyone seemed to be carrying a copy on the train. You'd pass someone in the aisle with it open, and have to say 'don't tell us what happens next!'

Good times, good times.

[MH1]

17. As long as no one runs out of necessary medications.

Presumably the passengers would be carrying at least enough for a round trip, but probably enough for a stay before turning around.

Of course if someone had just enough to get to the destination and planned to get more there ...

This is why it is always important to pack extra meds for any trip.

I hope this isn't a situation for anyone.

It could still be problematic for any elderly people. Hopefully they can be accommodated.

[magicarpet]

9. When the toilet tanks get full and they are unable to flush....

.... things might get sorta nasty.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Yup.

And there are quite a lot of folks on that train.

[DeminPennswoods]

48. Toilets are emptied on the tracks

fyi

[FailureToCommunicate]

52. They used to be, but not sure they do that these days.

Except in an situation like this perhaps.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

55. The Superliners are equipped with retention systems.

Also, happy 40th anniversary, the introduction of the Superliner coach:

Superliner (railcar)
....

History

Superliner I

Amtrak ordered 235 Superliner I cars from Pullman-Standard on April 2, 1975, with deliveries scheduled for between January 1977 and June 1978. The order then consisted of 120 coaches, 55 sleepers, 34 diners, and 26 lounges. Amtrak soon increased the order to 284 cars: it added 30 coaches, 15 sleepers, 5 diners, and deleted 1 lounge. The initial order cost $143.6 million; with the additional cars and other payments the cost rose to $250 million.

The railroad asked its employees to name the new cars, and announced the winning entry in its internal newsletter of June 1, 1977: "Vistaliner," harkening back to the Vista-Domes of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. But the newsletter went on to note that the name was already under copyright by another company, and so the cars would be dubbed "Superliners," a name created by Needham, Harper & Steers, then Amtrak's advertising agency.

As the cars arrived in 1978 and 1979, Amtrak put them into use on short-haul routes radiating from Chicago. The first coaches entered regular service on February 26, 1979, running from Chicago to Milwaukee. The coaches, led by an EMD F40PH locomotive, displaced the regular Turboliner equipment. The equipment continued to operate on the run for several weeks. The Illini and Shawnee trains received Superliner coaches soon after; the first Superliner dining car ran on the Shawnee as a lounge.
....

Design

The Superliners generally resembled the Hi-Level design, though at 16 feet 2 inches (4.9 m), they were 8 inches (20 cm) taller. The Superliners also used Amtrak's new 480-volt head-end power for heating and electricity. This was more reliable than the steam heat used by the Hi-Levels, whose own heaters and diesel generators would eventually be replaced by HEP equipment.

Initially, the cars could not be worked east of Chicago because of limited overhead clearances, but by the 1980s many eastern railroads had raised clearances on their tracks to permit tri-level auto carriers and double-stack container trains, which also permitted the operation of the Superliners. To this day, tunnel clearances around New York City and elsewhere prevent their use on the Northeast Corridor.

The Superliner I cars ride on Waggon Union MD-76 trucks, which require more frequent overhauls than comparable domestic designs and are "notorious for their rough riding characteristics." The Superliner IIs ride on GSI-G70 outboard bearing trucks, also found on the Horizon single-level cars. Both models have a maximum speed of 100 mph (161 km/h).

The Superliner I cars originally stored waste in tanks, then macerated and dumped it along the tracks once the train had attained a preset speed. This was an improvement on the Hi-Levels, which dumped directly to the tracks.[53] Growing public concern about such dumping led Amtrak to order its Superliner IIs with a full-retention system.[48][54] The Superliner I cars were retrofitted with a full-retention system in the early 1990s.[55]

The New York Times described the Superliner I interior color scheme as "soft hues of beige, rust, brown and green." For the Superliner IIs, Amtrak introduced a new scheme incorporating gray, aquamarine, and salmon.
....

[angrychair]

15. Sorry this line made me laugh

I mean outloud. It came across as this fake altruism.

not being charged for food or water.

Well I surely hope not. Why even say it like that? Why would you charge them?

After two days, why wouldn't you charter buses to take them to Eugene and fly them where they needed to go from there? Cannot be more expensive than this exercise.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. According to the tweet they had to respond to

apparently whoever was manning one of the food cars was demanding payment - probably early on in the train stoppage - and when the tweets started going out about that, Amtrak had to respond and obviously notify the crew.

Also all the roads are/were impassable in the area and the little town is without power, so they can't get any buses or anything else near where they are. The Amtrak crew is probably approaching it via the train tracks themselves clearing them with those special trains they have that clear tracks.

ETA - they may have something like this somewhere along the tracks to clear -

[angrychair]

29. Didn't see that food car was charging ppl

What a mess. Train travel is an amazing way to see the country but our system is so antiquated and poorly maintained that I'm surprised things like this don't happen more often.

Thanks for video, very cool. I would bet they do get used a lot in Canada.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. Apparently people were shaming Amtrak on twitter

forcing them to respond and apologize for the "confusion".

I definitely want to do that route and I think in this case, the weather pattern this winter has been anomalously snowy on the West Coast (so far sparing my area thank goodness ), even as far south as the deserts of California (although this is their "rainy season" ) so something like this happening isn't common.

[Danascot]

27. Free food & water?

Sounds a lot like SOCIALISM!

[OxQQme]

20. Train plows through trees after snow storm!

?list=RDQMkkPu1RQCpoA

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Yup

I added a gif of one in my post here - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142274492#post16

I guess if the snow is very powdery, that works great!

[FailureToCommunicate]

23. I could watch those all day. Awesome power!

[KT2000]

54. Thanks for posting this -

fascinating!

[Submariner]

24. Any sleeper cars on this train?

This could be a relaxing adventure for couples in a sleeper car cozied up looking at winter hell break loose outside the window.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. They offer them on this route

https://www.amtrak.com/coast-starlight-train

...but that is if you pay for it. I doubt that many people on there bought sleeper accommodations. And as someone mentioned upthread, I expect some of the stopovers would have been to empty the toilet waste from the cars, but that is not happening at the moment while they are stuck, so at some point, you will have full toilets (if it hasn't happened already).

[LanternWaste]

34. Heck, even the nominal cars are roomy and comfortable.

I took the Texas Eagle Amtrak from DFW to St. Louis a few years ago and was damned surprised that for every car (my guess is each can seat about 20-30 with comfort) there were only a handful of people. Between that, the phone chargers and laptop outlets, the fact I was allowed to bring my own food and drink, it was easily the most stress-free and relaxing trip I've taken in my adult life.

Given that the price was a quarter of an airline ticket, and that when I was dropped off at the station I was seated within ten minutes, I've stopped flying and have been taking Amtrak on any of my trips to St Louis and Chicago.

[TeamPooka]

31. Murder on the Oregon Express.

[BumRushDaShow]

33. ...

[suffragette]

36. Looks like they are moving now and gave sleeper cars to families with small children.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/us/live-news/amtrak-stranded-oregon/index.html

10:54 a.m. ET, February 26, 2019
A Union Pacific locomotive is pulling the stranded Amtrak train back to Eugene
~~~
Another passenger, Emilie Wyrick, told CNN that the train moved a short distance but then stopped.

"Power went off for a few minutes while they switched out the engine. It's back on. We actually JUST moved maybe half a mile. Now we’re stopped again," she said.
~~~
“Staff has been wonderful, accommodating. (They) gave families sleeper cars for free for small children. The staff has been great," she said.

[BumRushDaShow]

37. Thanks for the update!

[suffragette]

38. Thanks for your OP! Looks like Oregon got Hammered by the type of wet, heavy snow we can get

in the PNW.

That stuff tends to take down branches, trees and power lines.

I think Eugene was hit pretty hard itself.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. Yeah this winter has had anomalously higher precipitation in the west

including down into the deserts of California and Arizona.

Hell... here in Philly I am used to that damn wet snow. It's awful. Have been hoping beyond hope that we can get through winter without a major storm.

[suffragette]

41. We had a couple weeks of on and off wet snow in Seattle. Usually we're one and done so it was a mess

There were some predictions the one hitting Oregon now was going to hit here.

Glad it didn’t, but feel for them.

[MurrayDelph]

40. I drive through Oakridge several times a year

I live in Oregon northwest of Portland, and drive between home and Los Angeles frequently. The routing options are
- straight down the 5 (fastest, but boring once you get south of Shasta),
- straight down the 101 (pretty, but takes forever, as much of the 101 is just highway, or often just a street), or
- down the 5 to Eugene, across the 58 past Oakridge, down the 97 past Crater Lake, through Klamath Falls, Susanville, Reno, and Bishop. It takes a little longer than the 5, but is faster than the 101.

Oakridge has a supermarket, a couple of convenience stores, two motels, and a few restaurants. I find it hard to believe someone with a snowmobile couldn't get some diapers out there.

[BumRushDaShow]

43. I guess you missed the info in the article that said the power is completely out in Oakridge?

Elsewhere in Lane County, roads in the town of Oakridge were in such bad shape that the community was cut off with no electricity, Oregon DOT spokesperson Gary Leaming told the Oregonian.

"We are struggling right now to keep highways open," said Leaming. "We have people without power and without heat. This is a big event."

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-02-25-winter-storm-ryan-impacts-pacific-northwest

Meaning that the town itself is in self-preservation mode. And unless the snowmobilers are stocked up with gasoline in reserve, gas station pumps don't work without electricity.

[MurrayDelph]

44. I the words of my people

Oops.

[BumRushDaShow]

46. I feel for any area that has gotten hit by freak and excessive weather

and got overwhelmed. I know this time of the year over there is when the mountains get the seasonal snow, but this year has been pretty rough (and past years have sometimes been stingy, with not enough to get out of drought conditions come spring).

But at least they are on the move (slowly because they are apparently manually operating switches as they move forward) based on the update!

[DeminPennswoods]

50. Meh, no one died and it will be an experience

and story that will be passed down for generations. I'm sure some new friendships were made as well.

[BumRushDaShow]

53. Wouldn't want someone to die

nor get seriously ill if meds ran out. Apparently a 1.5 day trip got stretched to 5 days and they are not yet back to the closet stop (Eugene) yet.

[DeminPennswoods]

56. I don't either, but stopping the train was much safer

than trying to continue in those conditions. They have heat and food and they can move around within the cars and from car to car. The pullman rooms are nice and comfortable for a family. The RR knows how to clear debris from the tracks and has the equipment to do so.

I recall during a severe ice storm in the mid-2000s motorists were stuck in their cars or on buses (like the Duquesne Univ men's basketball team) on the PA turnpike for over 24 -48 hrs with no heat, food or ability to move around.

[BumRushDaShow]

57. According to the article

the "stopping" of the train was because it got hit by a tree and that damaged the engine. At that point, the storm grew and the intense snow covered the tracks, so they were stuck. The town they were near (Oakridge) is still completely without power. I posted this in post #43 -

Elsewhere in Lane County, roads in the town of Oakridge were in such bad shape that the community was cut off with no electricity, Oregon DOT spokesperson Gary Leaming told the Oregonian.

"We are struggling right now to keep highways open," said Leaming. "We have people without power and without heat. This is a big event."

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-02-25-winter-storm-ryan-impacts-pacific-northwest

It took time for Union Pacific to finally get the track cleared enough for a locomotive to get to where they were and attach to it and start moving it again.

You can have "nice and comfy" all you want until the toilets back up. And yes, I was lucky to avoid getting stuck on the Schuylkill Expressway here in Philly back during the worst of the January 1994 ice storms myself - simply by having the traffic report on just as I was approaching the ramp to it and choosing to go along one of the drives along the river into town instead. But none of the "stuck" folks then or during subsequent storms, were there for as long as these folks were.

It's pretty sad to see people really dismiss this. This is why I try to avoid traveling in the winter.

[DeminPennswoods]

58. Trains cannot stop on a dime

or veer to one side or the other to avoid obstacles.

Here is a link describing what happened: https://www.wsbtv.com/news/national-news/ap-top-news/amtrak-train-stuck-in-oregon-for-more-than-a-day-is-moving/925437371

The train hit trees that had fallen across the tracks. The trees damaged the hydraulic system that controls the brakes. The crew was able to repair the hose and continue on to the town but unable to proceed further.
Because the town itself was without power, passengers were (smartly) not allowed to debark. The story states the passengers were stuck for 36 hours, roughly the same amount of time cars/trucks/busses were stopped on the PA turnpike in 2016.

Happily, the train is now back in Eugene, Ore where all are safe and sound.

[BumRushDaShow]

59. I know

I rode a commuter train every day to go to elementary & junior high school for 6 years - and that was back when the engineers used to let us kids stand in the front of the car with them... I also used to take Amtrak back and forth up to UMASS/Amherst for my 4 years there.

I posted multiple links in this thread as progress was made but note that the "stuck for 36 hours" was for a trip that was supposed to be for 1.5 days, so they had already been traveling for a day before they got "stuck".

I am glad that they are finally back at a place where they can disembark.