Passenger Trains > Amtrak Cascades failure

AMtrack 503 out of Seattle was cancelled to due to mechanical problems and the passengers were bussed to thie destination.  The return train, #508, was also bustituted.  

While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a pedestrian strike near Labish at the north end of Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was delayed about two hours.  From what I could gather, it happened near the rear of the train so (I guess) the crew was not relieved and continued on to Portland.  #11 also lost about 1.5 hours, waiting at Gervais for #14.

The Talgo Mt. Jefferson covers 503 and 508 every day.  With that Talgo and with one of the Horizon sets also in the shop today, Seattle was short three Cascades trainsets, counting the Talgo Mt. Bachelor's ongoing repairs.  Since Seattle can afford to be short only two of its eight authorized Cascades trainsets, and that's a tight squeeze, buses had to be called.  

Bring out the P42s. There are at least 2 in SEA, 169 and 186.

> While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a
> pedestrian strike near Labish at the north end of
> Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was delayed
> about two hours.  From what I could gather, it
> happened near the rear of the train

It takes a rare talent to walk into the rear cars of a train.

yorknl Wrote:
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> > While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a
> > pedestrian strike near Labish at the north end
> of
> > Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was delayed
> > about two hours.  From what I could gather, it
> > happened near the rear of the train
>
> It takes a rare talent to walk into the rear cars
> of a train.

You assume they didn't do it on purpose.

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> yorknl Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a
> > > pedestrian strike near Labish at the north
> end
> > of
> > > Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was
> delayed
> > > about two hours.  From what I could gather,
> it
> > > happened near the rear of the train
> >
> > It takes a rare talent to walk into the rear
> cars
> > of a train.
>
> You assume they didn't do it on purpose.

No--I assume they DID do it on purpose.  How else could you explain it??  Ever seen a meth head bent over, stumbling forward while doped out on Tranq?  

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PHall Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > yorknl Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > > While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a
> > > > pedestrian strike near Labish at the north
> > end
> > > of
> > > > Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was
> > delayed
> > > > about two hours.  From what I could
> gather,
> > it
> > > > happened near the rear of the train
> > >
> > > It takes a rare talent to walk into the rear
> > cars
> > > of a train.
> >
> > You assume they didn't do it on purpose.
>
> No--I assume they DID do it on purpose.  How else
> could you explain it??  Ever seen a meth head
> bent over, stumbling forward while doped out on
> Tranq?  

No but unfortunately I've seen a troubled person pacing on an overpass before they finally got enough nerve to jump to the roadway below (I was stuck in the back up). They went the edge a couple of times before they finally did it.

Had that happen to a Metrolink train years ago near Chatsworth. Still had to do a complete crossing test even though the idiot took a running start at the side of the train, wound up with minor injuries.

yorknl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > While I'm here, Coast Starlight #14 had a
> > pedestrian strike near Labish at the north end
> of
> > Salem about 2:10 this afternoon and was delayed
> > about two hours.  From what I could gather, it
> > happened near the rear of the train
>
> It takes a rare talent to walk into the rear cars
> of a train.