CHICAGO — Some details have emerged from an ill-fated Friday, Oct. 7, trip of Amtrak Wolverine No. 351, the morning departure from Pontiac, Mich., which arrived in Chicago more than 13 hours late.
The trip, scheduled for a trip of 5 hours, 49 minutes with a 10:32 a.m. arrival finally reached Chicago Union station at 12:02 a.m. Saturday, after stranding travelers on board for several lengthy periods without heat, ventilation, lighting, food, or operating toilets.
The train’s Siemens Charger SC44 locomotive became disabled 19 miles west of Ann Arbor, Mich. The operating crew was unable to restart it or put it on standby to provide head-end power. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari tells Trains News Wire, “Mechanical issues are under investigation.”
A decision was made to have the following westbound Wolverine, No. 353, couple to No. 351 and bring both trains to Chicago, but crews encountered difficulties in combining the two trains. Although 353 left Ann Arbor at 10:32 a.m., three hours behind 351, the combined trains didn’t arrive at Jackson, Mich., 38 miles away, until 3:30 p.m.
Employees were never able to get No. 353’s locomotive to operate the electrical system on No. 351’s passenger cars. The train stopped at Battle Creek, Mich., for a half-hour bathroom break, but travelers were then told to go back aboard to their original seats. There apparently wasn’t enough space to accommodate everyone on 353’s equipment
Ann Arbor-based MLive was among media outlets reporting messages from stranded travelers.
Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams told MLive that a medical emergency, sticking brakes, and battery problems contributed to cascading delays along the way, followed by a lengthy stop on Norfolk Southern’s busy, multi-track main line, waiting for an Amtrak relief crew to take the combined trains into Chicago.
It was at this point several passengers took it upon themselves to open the vestibule doors and leave the train to hail rideshare services into Chicago. “Due to the lateness of the combo train, some passengers elected to safely detrain in East Chicago and find alternate transportation,” Abrams said.
The company did offer vouchers, MLive reported, with the following message to the affected travelers: “Please accept our most sincerest apologies that your trip on train 351 on Oct. 7, 2022 was severely delayed. Despite our best efforts, there are times when circumstances arise that are out of our control.”
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