BATESVILLE, Miss. –The mayor of Batesville says the Train to Christmas Town will no longer operate in Batesville.
Mayor Jerry Autrey wouldn’t go into detail about what’s going to replace the train, but says the entire fiasco has left a black eye on the community.
In December, the train derailed with more than 200 passengers on board after the tracks separated. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Mayor Autrey says the tracks were fixed the next day. So, he says he found it odd the company running the train decided to abruptly stop all operations.
“In fact, they ran three freight trains over it after they repaired it. So, I just couldn’t understand why they decided not to run the Christmas train,” Autrey said.
This decision led to even more confusion. Several families, many who traveled miles to ride the train, were caught off guard after they were told last minute their ride was cancelled.
One family told WREG that they were notified of the cancellation minutes before their ride. They told us they still don’t have their refund.
Mayor Autrey says despite the city having a working relationship with the company for years, he’s not heard a word from them, not even an apology. He says next season, customers can expect a more cheerful experience.
WREG reached out to the company, but they told us they had no comment.
