Amtrak Passengers Trapped for Over 18 Hours After Brush Fire Closes Tracks An Amtrak train carrying passengers from Orlando to New York, with a scheduled stop in Fayetteville, North Carolina, has been stranded for more than 18 hours due to a large brush fire that blocked the tracks. The incident, which began on Sunday, has left hundreds of travelers in distress as crews work to clear the fire and restore service. According to Amtrak’s train status page, the fire near the Clay-Putnam County line in Florida forced the closure of the track, halting the train’s progress. The train, which departed Orlando at 12:36 p.m. on Sunday, was expected to arrive in Fayetteville by 11:47 p.m. that same day. However, as of 10:45 a.m. on Monday, passengers remained stuck on the train, which had come to a standstill beyond Palatka, Florida. Jordan Harrington, one of the stranded passengers, described the situation to WRAL News. He explained that the train stopped after traveling for about two hours, just beyond Palatka, due to the fire. “They said it was a forest fire, and it was spreading over 300 acres, so the train couldn’t proceed forward,” Harrington said. “So basically, we’ve been stuck on the train.” Harrington noted that the train reversed back to Palatka and dropped off some passengers before coming to a halt again. “Everybody’s basically in distress,” he added. “There’s people in here that got kids; I know there’s a lady that said she’s running out of formula, like she’s got one Pampers left.” He also mentioned the emotional toll on passengers, describing a sense of “trauma bonding” among those stuck on the train. Passengers have been without food and comfortable seating for over 18 hours, with Harrington stating he had to call out of work due to the prolonged delay.#amtrak #jordan_harrington #clay_putnam_county_line #silver_meteor #floridian_route
