Landslide blocks train tracks north of Vancouver

A landslide blocked the train tracks between Vancouver and Kelso late Friday morning, disrupting Amtrak service between Portland and Seattle until at least Sunday.

The slide happened at 11:53 a.m. Friday between Felida and Ridgefield, said BNSF Railway spokesman Gus Melonas. It forced the cancellation of five trains that run between Seattle and Portland on Friday. BNSF, which owns the track, has placed a 48-hour moratorium on passenger train travel. However, freight service resumed shortly after the cleanup.

“Historically, the Felida/Ridgefield region has received more service disruptions due to debris this past season than in recent memory,” Melonas said.

Melonas said saturated debris flowed down a 75-foot cliff. It covered a 20-foot length of track with 18 inches of muck.

BNSF crews were able to shovel most of the material off by hand and freight trains were slowly guided through the area. Later Friday afternoon, a crane was brought in to remove the remainder of the debris.

As of Friday afternoon, Amtrak was working on alternate transportation. Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham said buses will likely be used between Vancouver and Seattle.

She urged passengers to check with their local Amtrak office to be sure of their transportation options.

For more information, visit AmtrakCascades.com or www.amtrak.com/service-alerts-and-notices. Passengers seeking refunds should go to Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL.