Via Rail apologizes to passengers stranded for 6 hours near Montreal

Via Rail is apologizing to passengers who were stuck on a train between Montreal and Ottawa for around six hours on Thursday.

According to the Crown corporation, mechanical issues stalled the train on a bridge about10 minutes after it departed Montreal's Central Station around 4:30 p.m.

Maya Eyssen's 13-year-old son, who was travelling alone, called to tell her about the delay.

"After an hour, he called back to say that they were informed that there was a technical issue and they didn't know when the train would go," Eyssen said by phone Friday morning. "And this went on for six hours. For six hours."

Via failed to adequately provide passengers with updatesduring the ordeal, Eyssen said.

"The information on the train is non-existent. No one is able to say when the train is going to move or when it's going to arrive."

In an emailed statement, Via apologizedfor any inconvenience experienced by passengersand said an emergency brake had failed to release, preventing the train from being towed.

Nor could passengers safely deboard because the train was on a bridge, Via said.

Mother worried, son distressed

"First of all, I'm worried," Eyssen said. "How long this is going to last? Because I remember last winter passengers being stuck for hours on end."

• Travellers stranded as more than a dozen Via trains between Windsor and Quebec City cancelled or immobilized

She said her son was also distressed, unsure if he'd make it home.

But Viasaid the crew regularly updated passengers and by 9:45 p.m., emergency crews had boarded the train to provide care.

According to Via, crews were finally able to release all emergency brakes by about 10:20 p.m. and the train returned to Central Station.

In her account, Eyssen saidpassengers had to deboard Train 37 and board another train before returning to the station.

Her son was able to stay with his father in Montreal and was finally able to resume his journeyFriday afternoon. Eager to have him home for Thanksgiving, she purchased him a "business plus" ticket the only one available.

"It's Thanksgiving weekend and we had plans with the whole family that left for the cottage," Eyssen said. "So I'm here waiting for him to get back to Ottawa."

She wants Via toreimburse her for the cost.

Earlier this year,Via's president and CEO apologized for cancellations, delays and stranded trains during the holiday season.