# Coast Starlight Train #14



## Budge (Aug 25, 2014)

We are currently on Northbound Coast Starlight Train #14. We have been delayed for 5 + hours, and still counting. We struck the trailer of a tractor trailer unit between Albany and Salem, Oregon. There were no injuries. The Amtrak Crew was not able to get the train going. We "borrowed" a Union Pacific Freight unit and hooked it to the train. Then the Amtrak Crew ran out of time (hours of service). We are currently waiting for a Relief Crew.


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2014)

We finally arrived in Portland, Oregon at 12:30 am after an 8 + hour delay. The crew was very Good, they tried to keep everyone informed. After help from a Union Pacific they were able to get the train rolling.


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## fairviewroad (Aug 26, 2014)

Thanks for the report from the field, Guest. Please stick around and contribute to this discussion board!

This specific incident is being discussed in a thread over in the "Amtrak Rail Discussions" forum. Here's a link

to page 2, where the relevant discussion begins (about halfway down the page)

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/61086-are-they-holding-11-14-to-check-for-track-damage-from-the-quake/page-2


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## budge (Aug 31, 2014)

Our trip continued on train 28 the Portland section of the Empire Builder. The next morning we were delayed in Havre, MT for 40 mins while the Border Patrol and local Police boarded our Sleeper to check for a suspected fugitive. The Dining Car A/C quit and we were served our meals in our room. We went to bed after Minot, ND about 1.5 hours down. After a good night's sleep we woke up about 4 hours down. After Breakfast the 2nd morning the Dining Car was shut down. Our Amtrak Engineer and Conductor went dead on hours of service, we waited quite a while for a new crew. Around lunch time the crew brought us some snacks to tide us over. Due to freight congestion/slow orders, etc. We were getting later and later. At the stop at Winona, Wisconsin we were given Subway Sandwiches for our evening meal. We arrived in Chicago about 8 hours late. We missed our connection (the City of New Orleans) by around 2 hours. We were put up for the night at the very nice Swiss Otel. Friday was a "Black Out Day" because of the Holiday. We arranged and paid for our own uneventful trip back to Carbondale. I forgot to mention that this trip was a guest rewards redemption. The Amtrak Crews were very good (with one exception) and tried very hard to do their jobs.


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