JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sixteen people were treated and four were taken to the hospital due to “heat-related issues” on Sunday after an Amtrak train planning to make a stop in Jacksonville lost power and had to be stopped for a “mechanical assessment.”
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Nassau County Fire Rescue confirmed the hospitalizations to News4JAX, adding that all patients and passengers are in stable condition and that the agency provided trucks of water and ice for passengers.
The train, Train 41, was carrying a total of 219 passengers, officials said, and was originally scheduled to go from Chicago to Miami, with stops in cities like Jacksonville and Savannah planned along the way, according to Amtrak’s train status tracker.
Amtrak officials confirmed that the train became disabled due to it losing power, and when it did, it stopped south of Jesup, Georgia, ending up just north of Hilliard near Yellow Rose Lane around 10:30 a.m.
Among those passengers were various Boy and Girl troops of Scouting America.
One parent, Sarah Hollibaugh, tells News4JAX that her two children were on the train returning from North Carolina after taking a trip with their Boy Scout troop from Sarasota.
“We were notified by my children saying that the train had lost complete power, there’s no AC, there’s no electricity,” Hollibaugh explained. “They were still on the tracks and trying to figure out what was going on. It quickly escalated into body temperatures and everything heating.”
She also said that one of her sons began feeling dizzy before turning “white as a ghost,” indicating that he was suffering from heat exhaustion. Hollibaugh said her son received medical attention and is feeling much better, but added that the entire situation was nerve-wracking.
Chris Dibert, one of the scout leaders, said about 38 children from his troops were on the bus when the incident occurred.
“About 10:45, we just kinda rolled to a slow stop and all the power went out except for a few emergency lights,” Dibert recounted. “And at that time, the person in the cafeteria car informed us that they were not able to sell anything, no drinks, no food, because all their systems were down.”
Around 7:45 p.m., News4JAX confirmed that Amtrak had provided buses and pizzas for the Sarasota-bound Boy and Girl Scout troop and that they were on their way home.
Additionally, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority confirmed on Sunday afternoon that it sent 5 buses to the stalled train’s location to help take passengers to the JAX Amtrak location.
On Amtrak’s website, the following statement can be seen when looking up the status of Train 41.
As of 12:06 PM ET, Train 41 remains stopped, due to an mechanical assessment for the locomotives. A rescue engine is en route to assist, the train will then travel to Jacksonville (JAX).
Customers will receive bus transportation between Jacksonville (JAX) and Miami (MIA). We will provide an update as more information becomes available. For customers still waiting to board this train, departure estimates are subject to change.
If a train is delayed past its scheduled departure time, it may still leave earlier than the updated estimate, if conditions allow. To avoid missing your train, please stay near the boarding area and monitor for announcements or updates.
Statement on Amtrak website
Amtrak released the following statement to News4JAX when asked about the stopped train.
At approximately 10:30 a.m. ET, Train 41 became disabled and lost head-end power south of Jesup, GA. Amtrak was able to source alternative bus transportation, and customers were able to board these buses at around 3:45 p.m. ET.
174 customers boarded the bus, and 72 stayed on board.
Officers from the Amtrak Police Department and local EMS were at the scene to render aid in real-time.
As of now, all customers are receiving refunds in full, as well as vouchers for their travel.
Spokesperson for Amtrak
