Washington Union Station Tuesday evacuation

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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My wife and I were in the Acela Lounge at Washington, D.C. Union Station on Tuesday night, January 2, 2007. At 6:00 P.M. alarms began to sound and we along with EVERYONE in the station were evacuated to the plaza in front of the station as smoke began to fill the building. Saw lots of fire trucks and one police car. At 6:30 P.M. we were let back in. Boarded the Silver Meteor at 7:00 P.M. and arrived in Jacksonville, Florida the next morning at 9:10 A.M. Have seen no report on the situation.

As a side note, the CSX trackage in the Carolinas is still rougher than (you fill in the word(s)). Our deluxe bedroom, B in the 9710, rattled more than a dozen rattlesnakes.

Service on our trip from Jax to Kalamazoo and back was generally very fine.

Happy New Year everyone.

Mel Hazen

Jacksonville, FL

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WASHINGTON – Amtrak officials said Union Station in downtown Washington was evacuated due to some type of smoke condition.

Officials said diesel locomotive smoke coming through the luggage room caused the precautionary evacuation just after 6 p.m.

Fans were used to blow the smoke out of Union Station. The evacuation ended after about a half hour.

Trains were delayed for 25 minutes during the evacuation, but regular service has resumed.