Passenger Trains > Wenatchee Builder Passengers Tell Their Story

The Wenatchee World has a follow up story on the fate of the passengers stuck on the Empire Builder.

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/paywalloff/beyond-the-wenatchee-school-bus-ride-amtrak-journey-to-seattle-takes-several-turns-over-3/article_5905b05a-7268-11ec-bbf1-877368d95ee5.html?fbclid=IwAR1vTjDoTXTBnvZiIurckqoCVqBWekLhWIdA6uP13elSjt83iD05Ez7XHao

Posted from iPhone

walstib Wrote:
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> The Wenatchee World has a follow up story on the
> fate of the passengers stuck on the Empire
> Builder.
>
> https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/paywalloff/beyond-t
> he-wenatchee-school-bus-ride-amtrak-journey-to-sea
> ttle-takes-several-turns-over-3/article_5905b05a-7
> 268-11ec-bbf1-877368d95ee5.html?fbclid=IwAR1vTjDoT
> XTBnvZiIurckqoCVqBWekLhWIdA6uP13elSjt83iD05Ez7XHao
>
>
> Posted from iPhone


good article I thought, presented Amtrak in a positive light.  As I mentioned one time I think most passengers take it as an intereesting adventure.

Bob

Did they not know how bad the conditions were before they left Spokane. Maybe would have been better to take the entire train to Portland. then bus to Seattle? Sounds like the crews did the best they could under the circumstances. BN not so much by sending the train out in those conditions in the first place. 

Portland wasn’t an option when the train initially left Spokane due to a derailment west of Cheney.

Posted from iPhone

At least Amtrak got them home at Amtrak's expense.... that's the Amtrak I knew and expected. Sadly they don't always do the right thing anymore.

Posted from Android

Hindsight is 20/20. With the derailment on the Portland branch, Amtrak decided to run the whole consist through to Seattle. Previous day trains were late getting through the Cascades, but made it. This train, not so lucky. And it was a bit extraordinary. BUT, with the Diner now serving "Traditional Dining" I think they were able to scrape together some options that may not have typically been available. It was mentioned that passengers had a dinner of pancakes and sausage! From the read, I would say this was a good onboard crew (including the engineers) that tried their best. There was an eastbound Builder that also had trouble getting over the Pass a day or two before. The engineer was praised with some heroics there for "making a good run at the hill." Many of the small airports across the High Line were swamped with delays and cancellations. People were re-scheduled on flights for a WEEK later. Some did resort to taking Amtrak at the time, as it was still moving! I always say - don't underestimate the Builder's intermediate stops. That train can turnover sleeper car space and coaches pretty well while enroute! 

In general, have always thought the Empire Builder crews remained a cut above the rest and also had some good engineers on the route that all "cared" about getting the train over the route somewhat on time. 

I wonder how the BNSF crew snow coaches fared through all this?

BNSF opted to fly TYE to Pasco and Wenatchee.

Posted from Android

Great story!  White Cascade (a book about trains stuck by the old upper tunnel early 1900's) all over again!!

Loved it, thing I know the Amtrak crew thought probably was don't be another Train 101, but on 8's climb the 2 days prior, tjhat was amazing in itself when the original lead unit crapped out, that's good railroading in my opinion!