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PROVO — Passengers are on the move again after being stuck on an Amtrak train Saturday night into Sunday.
There were 39 passengers headed from Chicago to Emeryville, California, on California Zephyr Train 5 on Saturday evening. According to Amtrak public relations manager Beth K. Toll, the train engine "was struck and damaged by a large boulder impeding the tracks in a remote location" about 35 miles east of Provo at around 10 p.m.
After getting stuck on the tracks, they were transferred to another train heading to Helper on Sunday afternoon. Once they arrive they were to be given the option to take a bus to Emeryville.
A passenger on the train told KSL earlier Sunday that it was stopped next to highway U.S. 6 during the night but had finally regained its electricity. "They said they had a boulder in the tracks," Daniel Cono said. "And they hit it, I guess it tore some hoses or something underneath the engines."
There was some complications in trying to get everyone back on track.
"An earlier attempt to attach a freight engine to resolve the issue so the train could continue on its way was unsuccessful," Toll said.
A second train, California Zephyr Train 6 en route from Emeryville to Chicago, was also stopped due to debris on the tracks but was eventually able to transfer Train 5 passengers to Helper.
Amtrack tweeted Sunday night that both trains were on the move again.
Before being transferred, Cono said train passengers were fed and crew members had been courteous, but the train was growing cold and its bathrooms rapidly unusable.
"If we're not out of here, in the middle of the night when it gets cold — 'cause we've got kids on here, we've got little kids — I'm going to start having a big old bonfire in front of this train to stay warm. Just so you know."
Contributing: Jen Riess, KSL.com
