Severely Delayed MI To Chicago Amtrak Forced Passengers To Flee Train

Amtrak passengers making their way from Michigan to Illinois suffered severe delays, with many deciding to get off the trains to avoid dealing with the slow down.

According to a news report in mlive, passengers stuck on the train said there was no electricity, heat, bathrooms or food.

An Amtrak spokesperson said the first train, Wolverine 351, which travels between Pontiac and Chicago, was stopped west of Ann Arbor due to a mechanical issue. The train journey normally takes about five hours, but the train was delayed around seven hours on Friday.

The train was then coupled with Wolverine 353 with the train operating as a double train between Michigan and Illinois. But that train was again stopped because emergency medical services were called for a passenger onboard. The train eventually continued west, with 353 suffering a delay of about 3.5 hours.

One passenger who boarded the train in Ann Arbor told mlive he got off when the train stopped near Gary, Indiana and paid $200 for an Uber. A 23-year-old woman told the outlet the electricity went out, and the toilets stopped flushing when the engine went out due to the mechanical issue near Ann Arbor.

The train stopped once again near Gary, Indiana because of a brake issue, mlive reported. That issue was fixed, but delayed again because of a battery problem.

The train wasn't stopped at an actual station, however, and some passengers got off and crossed the tracks to an expressway to call for rideshares, mlive reported.

>>>Read more via mlive.