Stranded Amtrak train arrives in Seattle
Amtrak passengers those who have been stranded for 36 hours in the snow in Oregon arrived back to Seattle late Tuesday night.
It has been a tough journey for passengers with one obstacle after another, but finally, Train 11 from Seattle to Los Angeles pulled into the King Street Station.
“It feels like a nightmare honestly, because it took forever and yet it’s already over,” said Finn Friedman who was stranded on the train from California. “It just feels good that I’m not stuck anymore.”
The journey marred due to extreme weather conditions finally came to an end nearly two days later.
On the first course of the event, the train hit a fallen tree from the snowstorm Sunday night, and 183 passengers were stranded in the middle of the mountains near Oakridge, Oregon.
Then after the journey restarted to Seattle, again there was another delay after a fire erupted on a railroad trestle over the Columbia River.
Crews in fire boats reportedly battled the fire while passengers waited in Portland.
However, as per reports, most of the passengers got off other stops on the way back, but they finally made it to Seattle.
Friedman, who’s from Santa Barbara, said the feeling of relief is an understatement.
“Like, I literally broke down into tears because I was just so frustrated and I just wanted to go home,” said Friedman. “I was like, ‘when am I going to be home to see my mom and my dad and my family?’”
As per Friedman, she took the train in the first place because she’s terrified of flying, but after what she just went through, she’s not riding the train anytime soon.
Amtrak stated every passenger would get a full refund for their tickets and they’ll offer other compensation on a case by case basis.