Amtrak Train Derails Outside Of Philadelphia

[ucfgrad93]

6 have been reported killed and many injuries. Very sad.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/05/13/fatal-train-crash/27222401/

 

[satcomer]

It's sad situation and my heart goes out to family members of the fallen!

However I am wondering if speed in corner might be the problem or poor tack maintenance.

 

[bradl]

The AP just reported that the train was speeding at/around 107mph while nearing that curve. Whether they were at that speed at the curve they don't know...

But bloody hell.. even the TGV was safer than that around turns in France.

BL.

 

[aaronvan]

My liberal friend is on Facebook blaming the crash on the Republicans. You know, infrastructures, etc.

However I am wondering if speed in corner might be the problem or poor tack maintenance.

Reports say it was traveling at 107 MPH on a 50 MPH curve.

 

[bradl]

My liberal friend is on Facebook blaming the crash on the Republicans. You know, infrastructures, etc.

I was going to bring up something like that, but this isn't PRSI, and not all of the facts are available, so I'm glad I held fire.

Back to it, though.. the AP just reported that the curve has a limit of 50mph. The train was in excess of 100mph when it hit the curve.

While infrastructure is a problem (though not contributing to this incident yet), This looks more like operator error, and that puts Amtrak as liable.

Did the operator of the train survive the derailment?

BL.

 

[MacNut]

I was going to bring up something like that, but this isn't PRSI, and not all of the facts are available, so I'm glad I held fire.

Back to it, though.. the AP just reported that the curve has a limit of 50mph. The train was in excess of 100mph when it hit the curve.

While infrastructure is a problem (though not contributing to this incident yet), This looks more like operator error, and that puts Amtrak as liable.

Did the operator of the train survive the derailment?

BL.

So the question is operator error or mechanical failure. Or sabatoge?

According to the AP the engineer refuses to talk.

 

[aaronvan]

The engineer lawyered up. Probably a prudent course of action.

The engineer, whose name was not released, refused to give a statement to law enforcement and left a police precinct with a lawyer, police said. Sumwalt said federal accident investigators want to talk to him but will give him a day or two to recover from the shock of the accident.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AMTRAK_CRASH

 

[ucfgrad93]

So the question is operator error or mechanical failure. Or sabatoge?

According to the AP the engineer refuses to talk.

My hypothesis is that the engineer either fell asleep or was texting/using internet right before the crash.

 

[MacNut]

My hypothesis is that the engineer either fell asleep or was texting/using internet right before the crash.

This is my guess as well. They are saying he pulled the emergency break right as they entered the turn. But by that point it was too late to even begin to slow down and probably escalated the derailment.

 

[Happy Snowman]

This is my guess as well. They are saying he pulled the emergency break right as they entered the turn. But by that point it was too late to even begin to slow down and probably escalated the derailment.

That's my hypothesis too. I tend to lean towards the sleeping guess – the engineer said he remembers "nothing" about the crash – but it's all speculation at to point.

The story is terrifying for me because I was very close to moving to Philly for a position, and I would have very likely been a frequent SEPTA (local train system) passenger.

 

[ravenvii]

The story is terrifying for me because I was very close to moving to Philly for a position, and I would have very likely been a frequent SEPTA (local train system) passenger.

Seriously? You're now terrified of trains in general because of a single derailment?

Do you drive?

 

[aaronvan]

If anyone asks "why is the government running a train line" the answer is Richard Nixon. He did not want the American passenger railroad to expire on his watch, so nationalized a number of private railroad companies and created AMTRAK.

Blame Nixon.

 

[Happy Snowman]

Seriously? You're now terrified of trains in general because of a single derailment?

Do you drive?

I don't think I ever said I was terrified of trains in general. I was just commenting that, on a personal level, I could have been a regular on that rail system. Which meant I could have been on that train or any train like it...

I know planes, trains, and automobiles crash. My dad nearly died in a passenger plane that was feet away from colliding with an airport terminal. I still fly. I've had friends who've died in auto crashes. I still drive. I'm not naive, but I'm also not so terrified I can't live a normal life.

I don't want to go on any further about this here, as it seems a bit tasteless.

 

[aaronvan]

My parents often visit us via Amtrak. It's nearly as expensive as an airplane ticket, the trains are always late, and the three-day ride is exceedingly uncomfortable. Sometimes I wonder why they put themselves thorough the ordeal.

 

[kendall69]

My liberal friend is on Facebook blaming the crash on the Republicans. You know, infrastructures, etc.



Reports say it was traveling at 107 MPH on a 50 MPH curve.

Actually .....THIS IS REPORTED ALSO , - He obviously felt oppressed by all the straight people onboard and decided that the only way to stop feeling oppressed was to kill all who oppressed him. If you criticize him for this, you are obviously a homophobe.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3289560/posts

...Wonder what he was doing while his train was speeding along at 106. Hmmmmmm I wonder???

 

[lowendlinux]

Operator head space and timing. A few years in jail should adjust that.

 

[Flynnstone]

How fast can an Amtrak train go?
Is 107 near top speed?
Is train capable of accelerating from 50 to 107 MPH in a minute?

 

[ucfgrad93]

Preliminary reports say there was no mechanical issue that would have caused the crash.

A preliminary report released Tuesday by federal crash investigators found no anomalies with the braking system of the train or the signals and track at the site of the May 12 Amtrak derailment that killed eight passengers, and injured 200 other passengers and crew.

The National Transportation Safety Board previously noted the train had been traveling at 106 mph before the emergency brake system engaged. Data from the train's event recorder "indicated that the engineer activated the emergency brakes seconds before the derailment," the report said.

Investigators are looking more closely at the engineer.

NTSB said it's examining the Amtrak engineer's cell phone and cell phone records to determine whether the engineer made any calls, texted or sent messages while operating the train.

"Although the records appear to indicate that calls were made, text messages sent, and data used on the day of the accident, investigators have not yet made a determination if there was any phone activity during the time the train was being operated," the report said. "Investigators are in the process of correlating the time stamps in the engineer's cell phone records with multiple data sources including the locomotive event recorder, the locomotive outward facing video, recorded radio communications, and surveillance video."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/06/02/ntsb-report-amtrak-crash-philadelphia/28348719/