Lake City train derailment strands Amtrak passengers for 12+ hours

(WMBF) - Passengers were stuck on an Amtrak train traveling from the D.C. area through South Carolina to Florida for almost a full day longer than expected after a freight train derailed in Lake City Monday night.

For one family, what began as a fun trip to Florida to visit Legoland turned into a nightmare after a train ride meant to last around 17 hours turned into a more than 35-hour ordeal.

Twenty-fice cars derailed after striking a vehicle on the tracks around 8 p.m. Monday, according to Lake City representative Donna Tracy.

Lake City Train derailment(City of Lake City)

“CSX crews worked around the clock to restore rail service through the town and reopen the crossings,” the city said. “Restoration included removing the 25 derailed cars from the area, and the removal and replacement of damaged track.”

Florence County Fire Coordinator Sam Brockington said a call was made to CSX to attempt to stop the train but it was too late.

Michael McFadden and his family were stuck on an Amtrak train traveling from the D.C. area to Florida for almost a full day longer than expected after its route was diverted in rural South Carolina due to the derailment.

That train departed from Lorton, Virginia, at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday and was scheduled to arrive in Sanford, Florida, at around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, the City of Lake City said the freight cars had been removed from area rail crossings; however, residents and businesses near Acline Street, where the train derailed, may experience no or low water pressure due to the damage.

Throughout Tuesday, crews in Lake City worked to repair the damage.

Rail crossings remain closed after train hits car on tracks, derails in Lake City(Lake City)

By 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, around 35 hours after the train’s departure, McFadden’s train had still not reached its destination, he said, adding that crew members announced the train was expected to arrive at its destination at around 6 a.m.

The Amtrak Auto Train was impacted by “significant delays” after a CSX freight train derailed in South Carolina, a spokesperson for Amtrak said in a statement early Wednesday morning, detoured off its normal route in order to continue operating south.

“Tuesday’s southbound Amtrak Auto Train has been impacted by significant delays due to a CSX freight derailment in South Carolina. The train was detoured off its normal route in order to continue operating south and is currently stopped in Denmark, S.C., while it waits for a new crew to arrive. Customers have been provided meals, snack packs, and beverages.”

“A new crew is traveling to Denmark to board the train and work onboard when service resumes. A new crew is necessary because the hours of service for previous crew expired.”

McFadden said the train his family traveled on stopped “in the middle of nowhere,” for hours as the train waited for relief crew members to arrive.

“The question that we are asking is why did the train have to stop in the middle of nowhere — not even a small station, and have crew drive to the train?” McFadden said in an email to NBC.

The Lake City Fire Department, Lake City Police Department, Lake City Public Information Office, Lake City Public Works & Utilities Department, Florence County Emergency Management Division, and CSX assisted during the train derailment.

Lake City Police and CSX are investigating the derailment.