PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - Amtrak announced this week that 26 trains traveling through the Pacific Northwest are being pulled due to corrosion concerns, using buses to reduce the disruption.
This change is especially impacting families with minors who were traveling unaccompanied during spring break.
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"We've never had this kind of issue of getting bumped entirely off of a train and having to scramble," said Annie Vithayathil, who lives in Seattle. She said with family split between Portland and Seattle, they take Amtrak trains often.
Her two teenage nieces were visiting from Portland this week and took the train to Seattle alone with no issues.
On Wednesday, however, Amtrak said a routine inspection found corrosion on its Horizon trains.
70 trains across the country, and 26 on the Cascades route, were pulled from service. Amtrak plans to substitute buses, leaving just one train running between Eugene and Vancouver, British Columbia.
"Yesterday, we got a notification when they were heading back that the train had been converted to a bus. We were hoping to still get them on a train, it's a better travel experience," Annie said. They rebooked the trip- "On a train, supposedly. And then when we showed up at the station, it had been converted to a bus."
Annie's nieces accepted they'd be taking the longer bus ride home. But then- another hiccup. Amtrak only allows unaccompanied minors on trains, not buses. With little warning, Annie had to step in as chaperone.
"That was kind of the only way we could get her back down to Portland because she is a minor, so I'm taking the day and riding down," she said.
She said the bus from Seattle was almost full, and after a few delays, they arrived at Union Station. Annie took a Greyhound back home just hours later.
Amtrak says the buses will replace the 26 trains that were removed at least until next week.
According to the Washington Department of Transportation, Amtrak said it plans to reroute trains from around the country to the PNW.
"I definitely hope they get these safety issues remedied soon so we can resume using Amtrak. I really enjoy the train experience, myself," Annie said. "I think we're definitely going to give a lot more thought to the logistics of it."
Amtrak's statement reads:
Amtrak routinely inspects its railcars and locomotives. We discovered corrosion in several Horizon railcars and, while working with the manufacturer, decided to remove the equipment from service after learning of additional areas of concern from intensive inspections of multiple cars.
Other routes impacted include the Downeaster, Hiawatha, and Borealis.