An Amtrak train bound from Orlando to New York sat stopped in Florida for more than 18 hours Monday after a brush fire closed the track, leaving passengers still waiting as of 10:45 a.m. near Palatka.
The train left Orlando at 12:36 p.m. Sunday and was scheduled to reach Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 11:47 p.m., but it stopped after about two hours of travel, according to passenger Jordan Harrington. He said the train then reversed back to Palatka and dropped off some passengers before coming to a halt again. By Monday morning, he said, “So basically, we’ve been stuck on the train.”
Harrington said the fire was already large enough to block the line. “They said it was a forest fire, and it was spreading over 300 acres, so the train couldn’t proceed forward,” he said. He added that the conditions on board were wearing people down. “Everybody’s basically in distress,” he said. “There’s people in here that got kids; I know there’s a lady that said she’s running out of formula, like she’s got one Pampers left.”
Amtrak said on its website that the track was closed because of a large brush fire and that it was monitoring two wildfires near the Clay-Putnam County line in Florida. News4Jax reported that the two fires were merging into a blaze burning more than 3,000 acres. Amtrak said crews were working to get Train 98 back on the move to travel to Miami, but it also said customers onboard were being given snack packs, beverages and food from the lounge car, with pizza promised once the train reaches Orlando.
The disruption spread well beyond the stranded train. Amtrak said customers on this trip will receive full refunds and travel vouchers, while Silver Meteor Trains 97 and 98 will have service terminate and originate in Jacksonville. Train 97, which was set to depart Tuesday, was canceled. Floridian Trains 40 and 41 were also affected: Train 40 will depart from Savannah on Monday, Train 41 that left Saturday, April 18th, will terminate in Savannah, and the Tuesday departure for Train 41 was canceled. Amtrak also said bus service would run between Miami and Jacksonville for Silver Meteor and Floridian customers on Monday.
Harrington said the wait had already pushed people past frustration. “Once the hours started building, building, building, I’m distressed. I’m just ready to get home,” he said. “We’re hungry and we’re tired, the seats are not comfortable at all.”
