You’re Not A “Hostage:” 29 HR Amtrak Delay Worse Than Michigan’s

Another "Train Trip From Hell" story has unfolded this week. If you remember last October, the 19-hour Pontiac to Chicago nightmare...this one even beats that.

Why were people stranded on an Amtrak train for 29 hours?

You're not being held hostage.

 

Why did people think they were being held hostage on an Amtrak train?

• MSN reports it was supposed to be a non-stop trip from SC to FL but there was some other train accident that had blocked tracks. Passengers called 911 to say they were being held hostage (after 12 hours, one would start to wonder). The conductor then got on the overhead system to tell them that was not true.

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How is this similar to October 2022's nightmare Amtrak trip from Pontiac, MI to Chicago?

• Passengers were not allowed off the train. Meaning that pets weren't either. They said bathroom facilities were disgusting, there was no food, and a new crew was needed because the present crew "timed out."
• In Michigan, the train lost power. Which meant toilets wouldn't flush, no electricity for charging phones, no lights and no heat. Amtrak handed out vouchers to make up for the Michigan/Chicago train trip debacle. We'll see how they handle this latest one.

Considering the major airline delays over the holidays and the US Department of Transportation investigating that issue... maybe it's time to put Amtrak on the scrutiny list, too.