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Stranded Amtrak Passengers Finally Get Moving

Rachael McDonald

An Amtrak train that was stuck in Oakridge for more than 36 hours finally inched its way back to Eugene /today/ on Tuesday. 183 south-bound passengers are finally on their way home. 

Emilie Wyrick got on the train in Eugene Sunday heading home to Napa. After grabbing coffee and walking around at the station, she’ll step back on the same train to Portland. Wyrick says her goal is just to get home.

“When I get to Portland, I’m going straight to the airport. I don’t care if I have to stay there overnight. I just want to get on a flight home. So that’s my number one priority. Then once I get home, once all of this is done, if there is time, I’m going to get the biggest plate of nachos you can imagine and just eat it.”

Credit Rachael McDonald
The Coast Starlight arrived in Eugene Tuesday after having been stranded on the tracks for 36 hours near Oakridge.

Wyrick says the hardest part of the experience was not knowing when it was going to end and being unable to get off the train. But, she says she met some amazing people who she thinks will be lifelong friends. 

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.
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