All aboard!
A popular train route from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon, is back on track after Amtrak rustled up a sufficient number of replacement rail cars to resume all trips on the scenic Cascades route.
Most trains were up and running ahead of last weekend, including 503, 505, 506,507, 508, 511, 516, 517 and 518. Trains 500, 502, 504 and 509 resumed on Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6.
But there was a caveat.
“Since each replacement train is running with a limited number of cars and fewer available seats, we encourage customers to book in advance,” the railroad company said in a social media post.
Amtrak said it moved several Amfleet 1 train cars to Seattle to replace the Horizon trainsets, which were unexpectedly taken out of service on March 26 due to corrosion issues. The corrosion issue affected 26 cars on the Cascades route, and a total of 70 passenger cars across the country.
The goal was to restore, as quickly as possible, all trips on the Cascade route, which is serviced locally at the Olympia-Lacey Amtrak Station at 6600 Yelm Highway NE in Lacey.
The railroad company had been using buses to help service the route until it could get an adequate number of cars on track. In doing so, Amtrak is “providing just two coach cars, 17 business class seats, and a cafe car” on most trains in order to service passengers until it can fully reload.
The move by the railroad company received a thumbs up on social media.
“Credit has to be given where it’s due. Amtrak has been very proactive about getting this situation remedied as quickly as possible,” said Amtrak follower Chris Kelliher in a Facebook post on Saturday.
“Hopefully the shortage in equipment will be very temporary and you’ll either have the new Siemens sets or the Horizons back before long.”
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bobkat
The typical Amfleet passenger car has seating capacity of 84 which means only 168 coach seats are available, plus an additional 17 seats in the cafe' car. Reserve or buy your tickets EARLY!
Wednesday, April 9 Report this
Snevets
Wednesday, April 9 Report this