An Amtrak train carrying 183 passengers headed to Los Angeles from Seattle has been stuck in rural Oregon since Sunday night following a collision with a downed tree that had fallen onto the tracks.
According to reports, the train — Coast Starlight 11 — departed from Seattle on Sunday, February 24 at 9:45 a.m. PST for a 35-trip to Los Angeles.
However, the train struck a downed tree in Oakridge, Oregon, around 6:30 p.m. that same day and has been stuck there ever since due to the weather conditions. Officials say that the ice and snow in the area and on the tracks have made it difficult for the train to be reached by aid.
Passengers of the train have been urged not to exit due to the dangerous winter conditions. Amtrak officials say they are unable to get to the train because there is “four feet” of snow “in every direction”.
While Amtrak has stated that there is “ample” food on the train, passengers are saying that they are beginning to run out of diapers, according to KOIN-TV.
Additionally, KPTV reporter Bonnie Silkman, diapers are being fashioned out of “kitchen cloths and safety pins.”
Man stuck on train says people are now making diapers for kids by using “kitchen cloth and safety pins” …..
#fox12 #stuckamtrak @Amtrak
— Bonnie Silkman KPTV (@BonnieSilkman) February 26, 2019
At this time, Amtrak is currently working with Union Pacific in an effort to clear the snow off the tracks and get the passengers safely off the train. Police have not provided a timeline for the passenger’s rescue at the time of this writing.
Oakridge is located approximately 45 miles south of Eugene, where the University of Oregon is located.
Race to rescue 183 people stranded on an Amtrak train. @WillCarr has the story. https://t.co/TVz7wigsVY pic.twitter.com/BJru40SVlh
— Good Morning America (@GMA) February 26, 2019
That is all the information that is available at this time. This article will be updated with new and relevant information should it become available at any time. If there is anything that we missed, please feel free to send an email to editor@teamcoed.com and we will respond as soon as we can and update this article if necessary.