Southbound from SEA to LAX about two years ago, we had a young woman board the coach at Emeryville bound for Santa Barbara, in early labor with her first child. Because we were already about 2 hrs late, we had to hold for a launch at Vandenberg - pretty spectacular - and of course, the lady's labor got later and later.
Pretty soon her pain was a little too much for coach, and the conductor moved her to a small bedroom in a sleeper. I had made the mistake of letting my dining companions know I was a physician, so I was summoned to check her out.
I practice Occupational Medicine, in fact I do Amtrak physical exams, so my OB skills are more than a little rusty. I also found Amtrak pretty deficient in the way of exam, not to mention labor & delivery, facilities.
I first thought of evacuating her to the base hospital at Vandy, but she really wasn't that far along, so we continued on towards Santa Barbara with some trepidation on my part, because there's a long stretch of empty coastline heading south. Luckily, there was an OB nurse aboard, so I didn't have to stay with her full-time, just checked every half-hour or so.
We were now late enough that the operating crew would "burn out" an hour or so short of Santa Barbara, there to await the relief crew along a pretty deslolate piece of coastline. The conductor, in a very smart move, asked if the medical problem was urgent enough for him to request permission for the crew to bring the train in despite the hours rule.
The labor had slowed as it often does with a first pregnancy; but with none of us wanting any further delays, I "reluctantly" agreed. After all, how could I predict the course of labor? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge - say no more! Permission was asked and grante, and after the launch, we went on into Santa Barbara with our original crew, the lady got off the train on her own feet, and all was well.
My one and only chance to affect Amtrak's operations - and I took it!
Pretty soon her pain was a little too much for coach, and the conductor moved her to a small bedroom in a sleeper. I had made the mistake of letting my dining companions know I was a physician, so I was summoned to check her out.
I practice Occupational Medicine, in fact I do Amtrak physical exams, so my OB skills are more than a little rusty. I also found Amtrak pretty deficient in the way of exam, not to mention labor & delivery, facilities.
I first thought of evacuating her to the base hospital at Vandy, but she really wasn't that far along, so we continued on towards Santa Barbara with some trepidation on my part, because there's a long stretch of empty coastline heading south. Luckily, there was an OB nurse aboard, so I didn't have to stay with her full-time, just checked every half-hour or so.
We were now late enough that the operating crew would "burn out" an hour or so short of Santa Barbara, there to await the relief crew along a pretty deslolate piece of coastline. The conductor, in a very smart move, asked if the medical problem was urgent enough for him to request permission for the crew to bring the train in despite the hours rule.
The labor had slowed as it often does with a first pregnancy; but with none of us wanting any further delays, I "reluctantly" agreed. After all, how could I predict the course of labor? Wink, wink, nudge, nudge - say no more! Permission was asked and grante, and after the launch, we went on into Santa Barbara with our original crew, the lady got off the train on her own feet, and all was well.
My one and only chance to affect Amtrak's operations - and I took it!
