(ORLANDO, FLA) — Panicked passengers on board an Amtrak train heading from Virginia to Florida on Monday called police claiming they were being “held hostage” after the train stopped on the tracks in a remote area of South Carolina for hours. The 17 hour trip took 37 hours with limited food supply due to a derailment ahead that conductors could not get around.
The Amtrak auto train allows passengers to travel with their vehicles, something the passengers wished they were able to access and drive in lieu of sitting on the train. The train was headed from Washington, D.C., Monday and expected to arrive at the final destination of Sanford, Florida, at about 10 a.m. Tuesday, the Washington Post reported.
Instead, after the train was diverted at 5:30 p.m. on Monday because a CSX freight train derailed ahead.
The train was then stranded in the rural Denmark, South Carolina for hours and hours…that’s when passengers began calling 911 claiming that they were being held hostage.
Passengers were also told not to call police because they “can’t help you.” But, according to Amtrak, the train finally arrived in Sanford, Florida, Wednesday morning, with an approximate 20-hour delay.
“The Amtrak Auto Train had significant delays due to a CSX freight derailment in South Carolina,” she said. “The train was detoured off its normal route in order to continue operating south, adding additional time to the trip. Customers were provided regular updates, along with meals, snack packs, and beverages. Additional food from local businesses along the route was also provided during the trip. Amtrak apologizes for the delay and we will be working with each customer on fare refunds.”