Winter Weather Stalls Holiday Travelers; Trains, Flights Delayed

by Terri Potratz | December 23, 2008 at 07:00 pm

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Hundreds of passengers have been delayed due to snowstorms and icy weather, which have prevented Amtrak trains from running on schedule. Christmas traffic was held up for nearly 24 hours in some cases; Chicago was hard hit as many trains were delayed or canceled.

Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said crews in some cities headed out with picks and shovels to clear snow-packed track switches; elsewhere, trains were held back to give lavatory pipes time to thaw.

Each train delay caused a ripple effect, with other trains and their crews at other points having to wait or readjust, he added.

"A combination of all those things is what presented this situation - about which we're very regretful," Magliari said.

Around 600 passengers in Chicago waited for up to 22 hours before finally boarding their delayed trains - the Lake Shore Limited, which was bound for New York, and the Seattle- and Portland, Ore.-bound Empire Builder.

Passengers have been understandably furious and many abandoned their Christmas travel plans altogether, forced out of seeing their families for the holidays in light of the extended delays and chilly weather.

Driving conditions across the midsection of the US also remain hazardous, as icy conditions plague roads in Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Arkansas.

Hundreds of flights have been canceled at major airports, such as Chicago's O'Hare and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airports. The LA airport reported scattered delays, and charter buses like Greyhound also had to halt some routes, leaving many stranded. People have been forced into sleeping at airports, bus stations and shelters as they wait for their travel plans to rebound.

If you are traveling this Christmas, be sure to dress warm and be prepared for delays.

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