Passengers on several Via Rail trains travelling between Montreal and Toronto have been stranded for more than 12 hours due to a mechanical failure and subsequent disruptions. The delays began Wednesday evening and continue to impact travellers on Thursday morning.
Via Rail Train Delays Impact Hundreds of Passengers
Via Rail Train 669 “experienced a mechanical failure” near Brockville, Ont., on Wednesday evening. Passengers from that train were transferred to another train, but the incident caused further disruptions.
Trains 48 and 54, travelling from Toronto to Ottawa, have been held in Brockville since approximately 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Passengers on those trains were joined by those originally on Train 669.
“Originally … we were going to switch trains and those passengers would take our train,” said Morgan Davis, a passenger on Train 48, on CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning. “In the end, those passengers hopped on with us.”
Passengers have expressed frustration with a lack of clear communication regarding the cause of the delays. Alan Drummond, a doctor in Perth, Ont., waited six hours at the Smiths Falls train station to pick up his daughter before returning to Brockville to retrieve her Thursday morning.
A Via Rail spokesperson stated the mechanical problem is under review and did not comment on whether it was related to snowfall warnings in eastern Ontario. Parts needed for repairs are being transported on other trains.
Via Rail is allowing passengers to disembark in Brockville but is not providing alternative transportation. The company is offering a full refund and travel credit toward a future trip as compensation for the delays.
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