Amtrak train forced to make 36-hour stop in Ore. mountains

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An Amtrak train traveling from Seattle to Los Angeles with 183 passengers got stranded in the snowy mountains of Oregon for at least 36 hours, putting a strain on passengers as food, patience and even diapers ran short.

The train came to stop after crew members spotted trees on the tracks. Railroad officials decided to keep the passengers onboard instead of letting them scatter in a town of 3,200 people that was dealing with its own problems – a blackout, snow and debris-covered roads.

"This is hell and it's getting worse," Rebekah Dodson posted on Facebook along with a photo of other passengers smiling into the camera after they had been stuck for 30 hours.

The Coast Starlight train came to a halt about 6:20 p.m. Sunday outside Oakridge, 1,200 feet high in the Cascade Range as a snowstorm descended on the region.

The train had electricity, heat and food. Passengers were able to communicate with the outside world.

Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Scot Naparstek said the railroad regrets the extended delay "due to extreme weather issues."