An unusually busy evening at Salem OR (SLM)

[fairviewroad]

Salem, OR (SLM) has six rail departures each day...aside from the COVID-era, it's been that way for 20-some years. Two Cascades in each direction and the Coast Starlight in each direction, seven days a week.

With a single platform and track, it's rare to have passengers for more than one departure awaiting a train at any given time as the trains are normally scheduled hours apart.

But last night, thanks to two late-running Starlights, a total of three trains departed Salem in relatively quick succession.

The southbound Starlight (11) departed at 6:01 p.m., about 2 1/2 hours late.
A northbound Cascades (508) departed at 6:16 p.m., about 30 minutes late.
The northbound Starlight (14) departed at 6:26 p.m., about 4 1/2 hours late.

So that's three trains in 25 minutes...and probably close to 200 passengers arriving/departing in that span. (I was among that number, getting off 508 and wading through a large crowd on the platform to get to my car.)

Quite the night at Salem.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Well I am good with the crowds, just not good with late trains.

Were the local hanging out and watching the show?

Too bad they delayed the regional train must not of had good information on where the StarLate was at. Or just no place to get them around each other.