Amtrak Train Breakdown in Georgia Strands Sarasota Scouts

An Amtrak train broke down near Jesup, Georgia, stranding over 100 Sarasota Scouts in sweltering heat while returning home from camp, and forcing an hours-long delay in unsafe conditions. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

Mechanical Trouble on Amtrak Delays Scouts in Georgia

A mechanical issue halted the Amtrak train early Sunday, cutting power and leaving more than 200 passengers stuck for hours. The outage disabled ventilation, worsening conditions inside the train cars.

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Among those on board were over 100 Boy Scouts heading back to Sarasota, Tampa, and Miami after attending Camp Raven Knob in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Parents Criticize Amtrak Over Lack of Emergency Support

Scout leaders reported children suffered from the heat, and some showed early signs of heat exhaustion. “Some of our Scout friends looked like they were about to have heat stroke,” said 13-year-old Chase Hollibough.

Their mother, Sarah Hollibaugh, expressed frustration. “They refused to give out water, saying they couldn’t sell it because the power was down,” she said.

Eventually, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office brought city buses to transport passengers to nearby Amtrak stations. Parents later picked up the children in Sarasota at New Life Lutheran Church on Fruitville Road.

Amtrak has since offered full refunds and travel vouchers to affected passengers. This was the first time the Sarasota troop had used Amtrak, as they typically travel by chartered buses.

Despite the compensation, parents remain critical of Amtrak’s communication and emergency preparedness during the incident.

Source: www.wtoc.com

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