(Ottawa) Several mechanical problems caused a Montreal-Quebec City train to be delayed by more than 10 hours on Saturday. Canada’s Transport Minister said he was determined to get to the bottom of the incident.
On Saturday, train 622, which was travelling from Montreal to Quebec City, experienced two consecutive mechanical problems between Drummondville and Quebec City, forcing VIA Rail to immobilize it.
Several passengers expressed their dismay and frustration on social media during the incident.
“We haven’t had any food since 9am this morning. It’s now 6:30pm and people are getting impatient,” Katy Steenstrup, who was on the train in question, wrote on Facebook on Saturday. “What was a minor issue is becoming a major event.”
“The staff won’t let us off, even though we’re next to a highway! The toilets don’t flush when they cut the power, the air conditioning goes from hot to cold, the carriage is filled with the smell of burning rubber, and there are now no snacks on board,” Carmel Tanaka also wrote on the social network, while the train had been immobilized for more than 7 hours.
At that time, according to his testimony, the passengers had not yet had any estimate of their arrival time. The situation was beginning to become tense between the cabin crew and the passengers.
“As you would expect, we got frustrated and the situation started to escalate,” Tanaka said. A video posted to her Facebook account shows a staff member raising his voice and then snatching a cellphone from a passenger who was filming the incident.
Power cuts and huge delays
“Passengers were kept safe at all times and were offered beverages, snacks and a meal before being transferred to Train 24 Ottawa-Quebec City,” the company’s media relations team assured in an email sent to The Press.
“The electricity, air conditioning and toilets worked throughout the trip, except for short periods when the electricity had to be cut off to allow for some repairs and to complete the hitch [l’opération qui vise à connecter deux trains] with another train,” she added.
Finally, the travelers arrived in Quebec around 10 p.m., about 10 hours late.
“Coaches could have been organized during this whole time,” Katy Steenstrup said. The company mentioned that no buses were available in the area to offer alternative transportation.
Investigation and Refunds
VIA Rail apologized for the inconvenience, saying affected passengers would be compensated with “a full refund and 100% travel credit.”
It also said it was investigating the incident involving the employee who confiscated a passenger’s phone, and that appropriate action would be taken following a review.
Canada’s Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said he will meet with VIA Rail management next week, adding that passengers deserve better.
With The Canadian Press