Amtrak temporarily suspends Coast Starlight rail service
Amtrak is canceling all Coast Starlight train service between Los Angeles and Seattle for a week because a mudslide buried train tracks in western Oregon, the company announced this afternoon. The shutdown begins Thursday.
Spokeswoman Vernae Graham, based in Oakland, said Amtrak is contacting more than 1,000 passengers who will be affected and offering them full refunds. She said it was the first time in her eight years at Amtrak that she could recall the route being closed for so long. The shutdown affects all stops on the route, including Santa Barbara, Oakland and Sacramento.
The mudslide, more than 3,000 feet across, occurred Jan. 19 about eight miles southeast of the small town of Oakridge, which is southeast of Eugene, Oregon, said Zoe Richmond, spokeswoman for Union Pacific. “Right now, we don’t have a timeline for when it will be clear,” she told me today. “At this point, our crews are still assessing the situation.” She explained that the area is very remote and that crews had to build their own roads to access the site. Geologists were evaluating the cause of the slide, she added.
At first, Graham said, Amtrak dealt with the slide by putting passengers on buses. But she said post-holiday ridership was so low, about 200 to 300 people per day, that Amtrak decided it was not worth the expense and inconvenience to continue busing.
—Jane Engle, Los Angeles Times Assistant Travel Editor
[Photo: Union Pacific]
8 Comments on “Amtrak temporarily suspends Coast Starlight rail service”
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January 25th, 2008 at 8:48 am
I feel it is a great mistake to cancel all service on the Coast Starlight. The train could have easily been rerouted onto the BNSF at a junction near Chemult and take the BNSF through Bend up to the UP track along the South side of the Columbia River and then on to Portland. Southbound doing the opposite. It has been done before. I know that route is not so heavily traveled by BNSF that they could not find room for two Amtrak trains each 24 hours.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I too feel it is a shame that the railways do not cooperate and help our passenger service in this country to be more reliable. It is no wonder people shy away from train ridership. Other countries laugh at us. We keep writing our country’s official to try to get them to support a good rail system for passengers.
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
I agree with the above comments as well. I am involved in public rail transit over here on the other coast, and it seems to be a ‘who cares?’ approach here on the part of Amtrak California. Especially cancel the bussing operation as a substitute. I’m 26, and hope there’s enough time in my many forward years to help facilitate a change!
February 4th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Check amtrak.com for updated information. The Starlight, in a abbreviated form (no sleepers or diner) is operating from Los Angeles as far north as Sacramento.
February 11th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I agree with Henry Behrens. The alternate route could easily be used. I have heard now that trains will not resume full service until March 23 (!)
I have reservations two weeks from now and I am furious. Even if we had to be taken off at Klamath and bused up to Oregon (which is done all the time, take my word for it, because the Starlight is often too late for connections with other trains) we would believe that AMTRAK cared about passengers more than the money they’re saving. They’ve already cut the food service and the lounge car, the personnel and the amenities. And so far, no one from AMTRAk has notified me that my reservation is absolutely no good.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
I am disappointed because I planned to take the Starlight down to LA in early March… now I have to fly. But for those wondering why Amtrak just doesn’t reroute through Bend, here is a good clue from an article in the Eugene Register-Guard:
“Fifteen trains, carrying 33 million gross tons of freight, use the track daily, rail officials said.
Union Pacific has rerouted its trains to lines operated by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway near Bend and is expecting delivery delays of 24 to 48 hours, according to the railroad.”
Once again, freight trains have priority over passengers… and with two routes worth of freight trains having to share one route, there is apparently no room for “second class cargo” like people.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if the Starlight was routed through Bend… Eugene is served by the decent Cascades service, and I-5 is a quick drive anyway. But Bend can often get cut-off from Portland by the mountain passes… has no regular train service, and attracts more tourists and vacationers (long distance travelers) than Eugene or Salem.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I’ve yet to hear anyone complain about the cause of this starlight’s disruption including UP (since they were affected financially). If you look at the avalanche photos you will see these mountains are covered with trees meaning there are never any avalanches. The only exception to this are the “clear patches” where the US Forest Service has allowed lumber companies to do “clear cut logging.” These patches from clear cut logging is hwere the avalanches occurred.
starlight fan
January 15th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
With all respect and apologies. When a train uses another road it is not free it is very expensive and believe me the other rxr’s know when to make a buck. I would bet this has been explored as giving money back is not profitable or good business.