Coast Starlight gets stormed out

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bmjhagen9426

bmjhagen9426

OBS Chief
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Messages
815
Location
North Sacramento, California
According to Amtrak CS Facebook group, trains 11 and 14 that departed their respective terminals on the 24th were returned. 11 (24) is stuck in the Cascades since yesterday evening, and is now delayed by almost 24 hours. Amtrak is working out a way to free the stuck passengers. Downed trees were to the blame, and Oregon Highway 58 was also closed because of those trees, and Eugene city officials declare emergency after a foot of snow. CS canceled next 2 days. If any information is incorrect, please correct me on them.

Source: https://www.kptv.com/news/amtrak-working-to-free-passengers-stuck-on-train-in-lane/article_eda7ed9a-395e-11e9-8387-07127e47606f.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_FOX_12_Oregon&fbclid=IwAR2nfvOPyNf-LimFDDaJEVyuzc26f0msbqm2SskGo0c2-RUVrxgd1OvInIY
 
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Just saw this from KOIN. It looks like the loco actually HIT a tree, and there are so many trees down they can't get to it to evacuate passengers. I don't understand why the cafe is out of snacks, though, since the train is not yet due at the southern terminus LA. But I am glad I did not have a ticket to get on that train in Chemult last night!

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/183-people-stranded-on-stuck-amtrak-train/1810135239
 
oregon pioneer said:
I don't understand why the cafe is out of snacks, though, since the train is not yet due at the southern terminus LA
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I imagine that’s just a combination of typical Amtrak understocking or miscalculation, and the fact that each passenger has probably decided by now that it’s the apocalypse and they have to get to all the snacks first in order to survive. :p
 
Well, if you look at THIS article, it's obvious at least some of them think it's the apocalypse! https://komonews.com/news/local/amtrak-train-stranded-in-oregon-due-to-snow-fallen-trees

"Our crew has been working for 30 hours or more. We've had some rumors that the National Guard is coming to pick up the crew, but not the passengers," she said. "It is now 6 o'clock at night. It is dark. There is more snow on the way. ... Please send help, if possible. Thanks."
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They don't have any idea how a train crew works -- that any crew that will be taken off the train are operating crew that have run out of time. They will be replaced new operating crew. Car attendants and dining car staff will stay with the passengers, and, now that the train is overdue at the terminus, I am sure they will break out the Amstew and feed everyone on board. I wish they would let people know that in advance, though, to avoid this survivalist mentality.
 
Just saw a report on TV. Apparently an engine has arrived to tow them back to Eugene a little while back. Just about time too since they are on the verge of running out of food.

There are some very good reasons to cancel trains in front of inclement weather instead of sticking to romantic ideas about weatherproof transportation.
 
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I'm sure Union Pacific wasn't happy about this because it technically is their property, and their dispatcher who lined the train out. And in today's society they are probably worried about litigation.
 
Seaboard92 said:
I'm sure Union Pacific wasn't happy about this because it technically is their property, and their dispatcher who lined the train out. And in today's society they are probably worried about litigation.
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Given the no fault deal that Amtrak has with all host railroads, it is likely that UP's exposure is relatively small in such incidents.
 
I would have been mustering able body pax and whatever cold weather gear is on board for a hike out.  Head North or South along the rail to the closest population area, load up supplies on sleds and pull them back to the train.  Common sense survival tactics at play here.
 
It appears that almost all Cascades have been canceled too.  The only train showing up on the Amtrak tracker is the southbound train out of Vancouver, BC.  They must really be getting bad weather!

Edit: My bad.  I thought several Cascades left before 7am, but it appears only the 5:45am departure from Eugene was canceled.
 
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Well, indeed, many highways in western Oregon and the Cascades are closed due to record-setting amounts of snow in the lowlands. And the "nearest town" (Oakridge) is very small and has had no power for days. So, supplies? An iffy proposition.

They may not even be letting people get off the train at all. But, if I were on it, I would have winter clothes and boots with me (when you live in snow country, you are prepared), and I would make the conductor an offer to go and see if any diapers were available in town.
 
CNN just showed some pics from the train with Crew and passengers included, and reports that the train is Underway! :cool:

It's being turned and will return to Seattle per this report.

Happily the power was kept on and food and water were provided for all during the forced layover, but diapers did run low as Jennifer mentioned( cloth napkins in the Diner? :lol: )
 
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OlympianHiawatha said:
I would have been mustering able body pax and whatever cold weather gear is on board for a hike out.  Head North or South along the rail to the closest population area, load up supplies on sleds and pull them back to the train.  Common sense survival tactics at play here.
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Great thought! I wonder if Amtrak or UP would allow pax off-train to hike. Also, how far was the nearest "civilization" with rations that could be packed back to the train? I don't think it would have been advisable for pax to go rogue, but in cooperation with the railroad and those in a near-enough town, the idea has merit.

Whenever I travel by train out west, it's got at least two purposes. 1) The train itself of course, and 2) A backpacking adventure in one of our storied western wildernesses. I often see a few others on board with a similar itinerary on the CS, EB, SC, or CZ. I bet some would have been willing and capable, depending upon the distance and terrain. I probably would have been. The terrain of a railroad (grade, at least) is generally milder than the terrain of the trails we typically hike. In winter, we'd likely have crampons or even snowshoes.  I typically carry the gear and clothing necessary to camp, filter water, cook the food I bring ... in fact be self-sufficient under many conditions for five days or longer. Most other long distance hikers would be in the same physical and head space.

Thankfully none of this turned out to be necessary. I do wonder if the powers-that-be would have allowed this tho. If the nearest outpost would have been within 20 miles following tracks, and at least one hiker had a topo map of the area on a waterproof substrate -- or a cell phone app (pre-loaded, no cell signal required) -- it could have worked out well for all.
 
Apparently, Amtrak wasn't letting folks off the train in that vein (per the BBC they weren't far from a small town, but the town also had a power outage due to the storm and has its own crisis going on as a result).
 
oregon pioneer said:
Well, if you look at THIS article, it's obvious at least some of them think it's the apocalypse! https://komonews.com/news/local/amtrak-train-stranded-in-oregon-due-to-snow-fallen-trees

They don't have any idea how a train crew works -- that any crew that will be taken off the train are operating crew that have run out of time. They will be replaced new operating crew. Car attendants and dining car staff will stay with the passengers, and, now that the train is overdue at the terminus, I am sure they will break out the Amstew and feed everyone on board. I wish they would let people know that in advance, though, to avoid this survivalist mentality.
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I think what the person is saying is that, assuming the rumors were true,  the whole train should have been evacuated if it was possible to get crew-members off of the train. I don't know if this was actually possible in this case, but I can see why someone would think that. 
 
rspenmoll said:
I think what the person is saying is that, assuming the rumors were true,  the whole train should have been evacuated if it was possible to get crew-members off of the train. I don't know if this was actually possible in this case, but I can see why someone would think that. 
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Turns out that in this case the train was safer and more comfortable place to be at than anywhere else in town, which (a) does not have a suitable place to put all those passengers, and (b) has no power, unlike the train and ( c) Most roads in town are blocked with snow upto 4' high in places.
 
Skyline said:
Great thought! I wonder if Amtrak or UP would allow pax off-train to hike. Also, how far was the nearest "civilization" with rations that could be packed back to the train? I don't think it would have been advisable for pax to go rogue, but in cooperation with the railroad and those in a near-enough town, the idea has merit.

Whenever I travel by train out west, it's got at least two purposes. 1) The train itself of course, and 2) A backpacking adventure in one of our storied western wildernesses. I often see a few others on board with a similar itinerary on the CS, EB, SC, or CZ. I bet some would have been willing and capable, depending upon the distance and terrain. I probably would have been. The terrain of a railroad (grade, at least) is generally milder than the terrain of the trails we typically hike. In winter, we'd likely have crampons or even snowshoes.  I typically carry the gear and clothing necessary to camp, filter water, cook the food I bring ... in fact be self-sufficient under many conditions for five days or longer. Most other long distance hikers would be in the same physical and head space.

Thankfully none of this turned out to be necessary. I do wonder if the powers-that-be would have allowed this tho. If the nearest outpost would have been within 20 miles following tracks, and at least one hiker had a topo map of the area on a waterproof substrate -- or a cell phone app (pre-loaded, no cell signal required) -- it could have worked out well for all.
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There were nearly 200 passengers onboard. I don’t think it would be productive to have hikers head out and bring back supplies, even putting aside how the media would probably spin it as “Amtrak orders passengers to recover supplies while crew stays warm onboard broken down train”.
 
jis said:
Turns out that in this case the train was safer and more comfortable place to be at than anywhere else in town, which (a) does not have a suitable place to put all those passengers, and (b) has no power, unlike the train and ( c) Most roads in town are blocked with snow upto 4' high in places.
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You hit the nail on the head. 

In the event of a medical emergency, a patient could almost certainly have been evacuated. Supplies could have been sent (and perhaps should have been, in the case of diapers and other personal toiletries). But overall, far safer to stay on the train in this case.

To the above comment about the Cascades, it appears that UP/Amtrak have canceled all Cascades trains south of PDX "through Thursday." This means two trains a day in each direction, plus the Starlight...which I think it's a safe bet will not operate before Thursday in OR and WA. However, the bulk of Cascades trains operate north of PDX and are unaffected.
 
jis said:
Turns out that in this case the train was safer and more comfortable place to be at than anywhere else in town, which (a) does not have a suitable place to put all those passengers, and (b) has no power, unlike the train and ( c) Most roads in town are blocked with snow upto 4' high in places.
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I agree, but I would be curious to see how well communicated the whole situation was to the passengers, since I know from lurking on this board that Amtrak has a reputation for not being great when it comes to communication.
 
Why weren't supplies sent? As a member of the public, I don't know the ins and outs of winter rescues and such, but couldn't supplies be dropped in by helicopter? brought in via rescue workers on snow shoes? dog sleds? winterized snow vehicles? Apart from relief of passengers, imagine the images and publicity. Where were state and local authorities and rescue squads?

But why didn't someone think outside the box of ways to assist the passengers on board the train?
 
rspenmoll said:
I agree, but I would be curious to see how well communicated the whole situation was to the passengers, since I know from lurking on this board that Amtrak has a reputation for not being great when it comes to communication.
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On the Weather Channel this morning they had a passenger on the train talk to them for a little while over cell phone. She said that the train crew kept them informed with as much as they knew. Sometimes they (the train crew)  were not informed too often about the developing status, which may be because there was no change. But I think in those cases it should be standard practice to give an update anyway. She said that they did not face shortage of food, but breakfast this morning was the last of it. Fortunately an engine had just arrived from Eugene to pull them back to Eugene and they have just been informed that they will be on their way shortly. She also mentioned that the train crew had mentioned that the roads in town were impassable and the town had no power.

That is all that I witnessed and heard myself, and the only information from the ground that I have.

Think about it. The train was stocked on Sunday before departure with food to last to Los Angeles Monday evening, plus a complement of DInty Moor. Why do people think that there was a dire shortage before sometime today? Time for people to get reattached to reality I am afraid. :lol:
 
jis said:
On the Weather Channel this morning they had a passenger on the train talk to them for a little while over cell phone. She said that the train crew kept them informed with as much as they knew. Sometimes they (the train crew)  were not informed too often about the developing status, which may be because there was no change. But I think in those cases it should be standard practice to give an update anyway. She said that they did not face shortage of food, but breakfast this morning was the last of it. Fortunately an engine had just arrived from Eugene to pull them back to Eugene and they have just been informed that they will be on their way shortly. She also mentioned that the train crew had mentioned that the roads in town were impassable and the town had no power.

That is all that I witnessed and heard myself, and the only information from the ground that I have.

Think about it. The train was stocked on Sunday before departure with food to last to Los Angeles Monday evening, plus a complement of DInty Moor. Why do people think that there was a dire shortage before sometime today? Time for people to get reattached to reality I am afraid. :lol:
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Ok. Good to know.
 

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