'Mechanical issues' left Toronto-bound Via train stuck in Thamesville for six hours
Passengers were not allowed to get off the train to seek alternate modes of transportation
Via Rail passengers headed to Toronto from Windsor Sunday night were stuck for six hours due to mechanical issues.
Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Percy Hatfield was on the train and he said it did not arrive at Union Station in downtown Toronto until roughly 4:30 a.m.
The trouble started when the train got to Thamesville.
Thanks to Chatham-Kent Fire for providing water to cool the engine on my Via Train tonight! @<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/first?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#first</a> rescue today! <a href="https://t.co/QUgB8TMhcD">pic.twitter.com/QUgB8TMhcD</a>
—@PercyHatfield"They made the announcement that we're having water problems, that there wasn't enough water to cool the engines," Hatfield recalled.
And after the Thamesville fire department showed up to cool off the engines, the water started leaking.
"And the water kept coming out, there's nothing the firefighters could do about it," said Hatfield.
Hi Brett, train 78 is experiencing mechanical issues. A rescue train is on its way to tow you to your destination. Apologies for any inconvenience this delay has caused you. ^NK
—@VIA_RailIn the end, passengers had to wait for a rescue train.
They were not allowed to get off the train, said Via Rail in a tweet, as it was not a secure location and alternative transportation was not possible.
Hi Sami, passengers cannot disembark as the train is not in a secure location, so alternative transportation isn’t possible. A rescue train is on its way way to tow 78 back to the station. ^NK
—@VIA_RailA regular trip without delays from Windsor to Toronto is estimated to take around four hours.
Hatfield said the company is offering a full refund to all passengers on the train.
In the future, if trains have been unreasonably delayed and arriving in the middle of the night someone should give the taxi companies a heads up so they are prepared <a href="https://twitter.com/VIA_Rail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VIA_Rail</a> - over 50 people waiting at 4:30 am - 6.5 hours late
—@TracieEdward