Passengers aboard the Amtrak Auto Train from Virginia to Orlando were reportedly stuck on board for nearly 30 hours, allegedly causing some to claim they were being “held hostage.”
The Auto Train left the Northern Virginia station at Lorton on Monday evening with a planned arrival in Orlando at 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. However, a freight train derailment forced the train off its scheduled route and left passengers “stuck” onboard in Denmark, South Carolina, as they waited for a new crew to arrive, Amtrak stated per ABC News.
The Auto Trains have a specific crew with few certified to operate it, and U.S. Department of Transportation laws regulate how many hours train employees are allowed to work, according to ABC15.
The signifiant delay did not sit well with some passengers, who took to social media to complain about the allegedly limited food options, “gross bathrooms”and lack of access to medical care for elderly passengers. Some reportedly called the police and claimed they were being “held hostage.” (RELATED: Federal Aviation Administration Starting To Resume Domestic US Flights After Technical Glitch Grounds Them)
BREAKING: A travel nightmare is unfolding right now on Amtrak. Passengers on the Auto Train have been stuck on board for 29+ hours, currently sitting in the woods in rural South Carolina. Passengers called the local police saying they’re being held hostage.
LISTEN: pic.twitter.com/Jog4PHYT7G— Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) January 11, 2023
“For those of you that are calling the police, we are not holding you hostage,” a conductor could be heard telling passengers over the loudspeaker, according to video footage shared with ABC News. “We are giving you all the information in which we have. We are sorry about the inconvenience.”
Amtrak provided customers with regular updates and offered meals, snacks and beverages, the company told ABC News. Crews also reportedly worked with pet owners to provide bathroom breaks for their furry companions.
Train officials allegedly told passengers waiting in Denmark that there were no more meals available and they would not have access to meals until they reached Savannah, according to audio provided to ABC15.
The train began heading south again just before 10 p.m. Tuesday night, the outlet reported. It arrived in Florida early Wednesday, ending the 37-hour “nightmare” for 563 passengers and 333 cars, according to ABC News.
Once in Florida, passengers had to wait a minimum of 90 minutes for their vehicles to be removed from the train, ABC 15 reported.