Amtrak passengers were stranded so long that some called police, fearing hostage situation

Passengers stranded on a stalled Amtrak train were stuck for so long that some called 911, believing they’d been kidnapped and were being held hostage.

The train finally reached its destination Wednesday, after being stuck more than 23 hours. The trip that was supposed to take 17 hours instead took 37.

Auto Train 53 left Lorton, Va., at about 5:30 p.m. Monday carrying 563 passengers and 350 vehicles. It was supposed to arrive in Sanford, Fla., at 10 a.m. the next day. Instead, the train ground to a halt in the woods near Denmark, S.C.

The train had been “impacted by significant delays due to a CSX freight derailment in South Carolina,” Amtrak spokeswoman Christina Leeds told The Washington Post.

The CSX train had hit an empty vehicle sitting on the tracks in Lake City, S.C., derailing 25 cars and two locomotives.

As the delay dragged on, some passengers panicked and called 911.

“For those of you that are calling the police, we are not holding you hostage,” a conductor said over the loudspeaker, according to ABC News. “We are giving you all the information which we have. We are sorry about the inconvenience.”

They were only being held hostage by the train schedule as the Amtrak crew waited for replacements to arrive. Since their hours had expired, they could not legally operate the train.

“Customers were provided regular updates, along with meals, snack packs and beverages,” Amtrak said. “Additional food from local businesses along the route was also provided during the trip. The onboard staff worked with pet owners to provide bathroom breaks.”

With News Wire Services