What it's like to be trapped on a train in the snow for 40 hours with 183 people

Transcript

Over the last two days, Emilie Wyrick forged a community of new friends, developed an innovative workout routine and witnessed a majestic bald eagle take flight along the scenic mountain-lined coast of Oregon. 

Meanwhile, those around her divvied up dwindling supplies of salty pre-packaged snacks, consoled their screaming children and banded together to create makeshift diapers out of washcloths and safety pins. 

All of this, while trapped aboard an Amtrak train that ground to a halt Sunday outside of Oakridge, Ore., after striking a fallen tree branch in the middle of a snowstorm-fuelled power outage. 

"Literally, a perfect storm," Wyrick told As It Happens host Carol Off with a chuckle on Tuesday, shortly after the train began moving again.

'Everyone's coming together'

Wyrick was one of 183 people aboard the Amtrak Coast Starlight train that stalled outside Oakridge for more than 36 hours beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. 

She boarded the train an hour earlier in Eugene, Ore., where she'd been visiting friends, anticipating a day-long ride home to California's Bay Area. 

"I was going to be on the train for 13 hours, so I'm actually pretty well prepared," she said. "I know I've been very lucky. A lot of people thought they were only going to be on the train for a few hours and didn't bring anything with them."

So she started to share — giving her fellow passengers toothpaste, deodorant and extra food, lending them her phone to make calls and letting them connect to her Wi-Fi hotspot 

"But that's just what everyone is doing now," she said. "Everyone's coming together to make this go by as good as possible."

Pull-ups and birds of prey 

For Wyrick, a personal trainer, that includes staying active.

"I've been doing pull-ups on the luggage rack, trying to get my body moving, and walking lunges up and down the aisles," she said.

"I could write a book: 40-hour Train Ride Workout."

It also meant taking in the view. 

The train route, which runs along the U.S. Pacific Coast between Seattle and Los Angeles, is billed as one of the most scenic in the world.

"It's incredible ... I was looking out the window and I saw this bird with like a flash of white, and I realized it was a bald eagle," Wyrick said.

"So I screamed out, 'There is a bald eagle!' and he flew right past the window. A couple of people got photos of him. It was pretty spectacular. I mean, there are way uglier places for us to have gotten stuck, for sure."

'Please send help'

Pretty as it was, nobody had the opportunity to get out and enjoy the mountain air and fresh fallen snow. 

Before they got stuck there, Oakridge was pelted by a storm that cut off power and blanked the town in a record snowfall, leaving the roads inaccessible. 

Nobody could reach the train to repair or resupply it, and there was nowhere in town for the passengers to go. 

"With local power outages and blocked roads, it was decided the safest place for our customers was to remain on the train where we were able to provide food, heat, electricity and toilets," Amtrak said in a written statement.

The company has apologized for the delay and promised to issue refunds to those affected. 

Wyrick said Amtrak made the right decision by keeping people on the train.

"They took incredibly good care of us," she said. "I have nothing but gratitude for what they've what done and how much they've worked to make the best of this situation."

But not everyone maintained such a sunny disposition during the lengthy ordeal.

People began to run out of supplies like food, feminine hygiene products and diapers — which several passengers crafted out of available materials.

"We're running low on supplies," passenger Rebekah Dodson said in a video recorded on Monday night and shared on Twitter by reporter Lincoln Graves. 

"It is dark. There is more snow on the way and we are stranded for another night ... Please send help if possible."

Passenger Carly Bigby told KOIN 6 News that snacks were running low and children were getting antsy. 

"Moms are doing all they can right now," she said.

Not quite over 

The train arrived back in Eugene on Tuesday afternoon, where Wyrick originally began her ill-fated journey.

She messaged As It Happens when it arrived: "Sooooo happy to be breathing fresh air!!!"

But her trek isn't over yet. She plans to get back on same train and take a three-hour ride to Portland, and try to get a flight home to California from there. 

Her goal is to be home by Friday.

"I just want to know that there is a solid plan to get me out of Oregon and back to California and back to my husband, back to my dog, back to my home, and back to my bed. That is priority No. 1 for me," she said.

And priority No. 2?

"I think I'm probably going to treat myself to a plate of nachos."

Written by Sheena Goodyear. Interview with Emilie Wyrick produced by Sarah Jackson.