DENVER -- It's enough to make anyone mad -- being trapped on an RTD train for more than four hours.
Contact7 Investigates received recordings of phone calls made to RTD by customers and worried families after two University of Colorado A Line trains got stranded for more than four hours April 20 on the way to downtown from Denver International Airport.
"There's been no announcements, no nothing," one caller told RTD’s customer service line.
The University of Colorado A Line was disrupted when a piece which supports the electrical lines overhead broke and caused a chain reaction that left two trains without power. The first train was disabled and then a second train coming to push the first also got caught.
"We were told an hour ago things were going to happen right away, and they didn't. What's really happening?” another rider asked.
"We were told the second train on your line was going to be moving within minutes and that was an hour ago. We're curious," said another.
Some questions came from worried family members of people stuck on the train.
Denver Transit Partners, which operates the A Line for RTD, has pledged make sure the issues don’t occur again, RTD Spokesman Scott Reed told Contact7 Investigates.
Denver Transit Partners have added more rescue training to be able to get passengers off a disabled train faster. They have a new system to gauge problems, so trains are less likely to get stuck. They will also have a dedicated person communicating information to customers right away during an emergency.
Denver resident Matt Chambers was on the train and said some people were scared or unhappy.
"Batteries are dying. There's no water, no power. Worst case scenario, let me off the train and I'll walk,” Chambers said.
Denver Transit Partners later said it was too dangerous to allow customers to walk off the trains, one of which was elevated.
The last customers got off the train at 8:51 p.m. according to RTD records reviewed by Denver7 Investigates.
