Nearly 700 passengers on the Paris-Clermont-Ferrand train arrived at their destination on Saturday morning after a delay of almost seven hours following a locomotive breakdown which blocked their train on a very cold night. Departing at 6:57 p.m. from Paris station, intercity train 5983 arrived in Clermont shortly after 6 a.m., after a long stop at Montargis station, a total of around eleven hours instead of the planned 3h30 to arrive at its destination. .
“The train broke down at Nogent-sur-Vernisson (Loiret, south of Montargis). The driver attempted to resolve the problem but was unsuccessful. An emergency locomotive was therefore sent from Paris,” SNCF said in a press release to AFP. The emergency locomotive brought the train back to Montargis station “where meal boxes were distributed to passengers while the locomotive positioned itself at the head to allow the train to continue its journey to Clermont-Ferrand”.
During the night, the SNCF called on the Red Cross and the firefighters to help “take care of customers and improve their comfort”, assures the SNCF which promised “exceptional commercial compensation measures”.
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Several Internet users presenting themselves as train passengers spoke of a trying night on social networks. “Is this to kill us? No heat, no electricity, no water, no food, no news,” X lléana complained.
“Fortunately we had, in an emergency situation, the Red Cross who came to give us survival blankets because otherwise we were extremely cold on the train,” a passenger who presented himself as William’s name. I am completely exhausted, tired from this trip which was just exhausting in the cold for part of the trip. I can’t wait to be able to sleep and catch up on my night’s sleep.
The Paris-Clermont line is known for its repeated delays, regularly denounced by its users.