Tuesday, December 19, 2017

2017 Amtrak Washington train derailment

2017 Amtrak Washington train derailment --- ===

Train was speeding at 80 mph past a sign clearly indicating 30 mph. Driver is likely seasoned, familiar with route after testing. Lead engine kept going in a straight line then stopped, rear of train kept going around curve resulting in s-snake and car falling off bridge onto I5 below. Most likely explanation for ignoring the speed would be a Germanwings scenario. Authorities won't interview crew until next day.

Authorities ruled out deliberate crash in Philadelphia 2015 crash which is a better explanation for unexplained acceleration into a curve which cannot be caused by "inattention". Valencia crash in spain where driver was killed he also accelerated into a curve for unknown reasons. So far no train disasters have been ruled deliberate crashes. As they passed the speed limit sign at the curve   six seconds before the derailment, the engineer commented on “an over speed condition,” according to the NTSB report. “The engineer’s actions were consistent with the application of the locomotive’s brakes just before the recording ended,”

The engineer was interviewed a month after the crash beause of injuries. He  says that he only practiced the run going south once before, he planned on slowing down but missed the mile marker, and the other conductor was not paying attention either until they were airborne. The conductor sued Amtrak for not providing a safe workplace even though he didn't look out for signs either.



*Reference

2017 Washington train derailment - Wikipedia

2017 Washington train derailment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2017 Washington train derailment
Photograph of type of locomotive hauling the accident train
A P42DC locomotive, such as this one, was at the rear of the train and was the only part of the train to remain on the tracks.
2017 Washington train derailment is located in Washington (state)
2017 Washington train derailment
Location within Washington (state)
DateDecember 18, 2017
Time07:33 local time (15:33 UTC)
LocationNear DuPont, Washington
Coordinates47.0820°N 122.6757°WCoordinates: 47.0820°N 122.6757°W
CountryUnited States
Rail linePoint Defiance Bypass
OperatorAmtrak
Type of incidentDerailment
CauseUnder investigation
Statistics
Trains1
Passengers78
Crew7
Deaths3
Injuries100+
On December 18, 2017, Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501 derailed near DuPont, Washington, United States. It was the inaugural run on the Point Defiance Bypass, a new passenger rail route south of Tacoma, Washington. The bypass was intended to reduce congestion and separate passenger and freight traffic, and was designed for faster speeds and shorter travel times (saving ten minutes from Seattle to Portland) than the previous route used by Cascades.[1]
The lead locomotive and all twelve cars derailed while approaching a bridge over Interstate 5 (I-5). The trailing locomotive remained on the rails. A number of automobiles on southbound I-5 were crushed and at least three people on board the train died. The train derailed a short distance from where the new route merges with the previous route.
Preliminary data from the data recorder showed that the train was traveling 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) over the speed limit when the incident happened.[2]

Background[edit]

Main article: Point Defiance Bypass

Overview of new Amtrak Cascades inland route (red; to the south), showing accident location, and old shoreline route (blue; to the north)
The Point Defiance Bypass was built from 2010 to 2017 as a replacement for the BNSFmainline that runs along the Puget Sound coast between the Nisqually River and Tacoma. The $181 million bypass, using an inland route that follows I-5, was built by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) on right of way owned by Sound Transit, the regional transit authority.[1][3] The Amtrak Cascades service is a joint effort of WSDOT and Oregon Department of Transportation, with Amtrak as a contracting operator.[4] In the wake of the December 18 derailment, the safety of the bypass was questioned by elected officials.[5] The 2006 Cascades corridor plan recommended that the curve and overpass where the derailment occurred be replaced with a straighter alignment, costing $412 million. The final plans omitted the overpass replacement, with a smaller budget of $180 million granted for the entire project.[6]

Derailment[edit]


Schematic site overview. The lead locomotive is the leftmost vehicle and stopped in the southbound lanes of Interstate 5. The train's rear locomotive is top-right. One car lies inverted under the bridge (shown in blue).
At 07:33 local time (15:33 UTC), the leading locomotive and twelve cars of the southbound Amtrak Cascades number 501 passenger train derailed southwest of DuPont.[7] DuPont is about 40 mi (64 km) south of Seattle and about 5 mi (8.0 km) south of the Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) main gate. The train derailed while approaching the railroad bridge across southbound I-5 near Mounts Road,[8] which contains a left-hand bend.[9]
The lead locomotive, a new Siemens Charger,[7] and six rail cars went down the embankment to the west of the bridge (to the right, in the original direction of travel); the locomotive ended up on I-5 and spilled about 350 US gal (1,300 L) of fuel.[10] Two further cars ended up on the bridge span, and three cars went off the railroad bridge abutment on the opposite side, some onto I-5.[11][12] The trailing General Electric Genesis P42DC locomotive, No. 181, remained on the tracks.[7] Seven vehicles, including two trucks, were damaged by the derailed cars of the train.[13]
The southbound train was operating between Seattle and Portland, Oregon, on the first revenue service run of the Cascades on the new, faster Point Defiance Bypass route between Lacey and Tacoma.[3] The train was running about 30 minutes behind schedule.[14][15] Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson said that positive train control was not active on the track,[16] a factor cited in the December 2013 Spuyten Duyvil derailment and the 2015 Philadelphia train derailment.[17][18]

Casualties[edit]

There were seven crew, a technician from train manufacturer Talgo,[19] and an estimated 77 passengers on board the train,[20][21] of whom three were killed.[9] Ten were in serious condition, and 13 had moderate or minor injuries.[22] Some of the vehicle occupants on I-5 were also injured.[21] In total, more than one hundred people were taken to nearby hospitals,[23] including Madigan Army Medical Center at JBLM, Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor, Tacoma General Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, and St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood.[24][8] Three soldiers from Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM), including a Madigan Army Medical Center nurse, left their vehicles to give medical assistance to people trapped inside the train cars, and help them escape.[25]

Aftermath[edit]


WSDOT recommended detour routes on the evening of December 18 extended more than 70 mi (110 km) for the northern route with a travel time over 90 minutes, or alternatively, a southern route of 50 mi (80 km), with a travel time over 2 hours.[8][26] Under normal conditions, driving 29 mi (47 km) from Tacoma to Olympia takes about 30 minutes.[27]
Amtrak temporarily suspended service for south of Seattle for several hours because of the accident,[21] resuming on the former coast route and the old Tacoma station.[28][29] Southbound automobile traffic was rerouted away from I-5 by WSDOT until the site was cleared of debris and inspected.[30] On December 18, JBLM allowed southbound traffic through from DuPont to State Route 510 near Lacey.[31]
WSDOT announced on December 21 that it would not resume Amtrak service on the Point Defiance Bypass until positive train control is implemented in 2018.[32]

Cleanup and freeway reopening[edit]

Some of the wrecked train cars were removed by trucks on December 19.[33] Two southbound lanes of I-5 were reopened on December 20, with a reduced speed limit, as the cleanup and investigation continued.[34][35] By the morning of December 21, all lanes of the freeway had been reopened.[36]

Response[edit]

Within hours of the derailment, Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency and activated the Washington Military Department's emergency operations center at Camp Murray, adjacent to JBLM, to coordinate the multi-agency response to the incident.[24][37]
A civilian support and reunification center was set up at DuPont City Hall.[38] The Bloodworks Northwest blood bank called for donors after the crash.[39]
President Donald Trump said on Twitter a few hours after the accident that the derailment shows that his "soon to be submitted infrastructure plan must be passed quickly." He said "several trillion dollars" were spent in the Middle East while the transport infrastructure "crumble[s]". A second tweet said his "thoughts and prayers are with everyone", and he thanked first responders.[40] The Associated Press and The New York Times reports of Trump's tweets said the accident had occurred on newly constructed track that was part of a recently upgraded line.[14][41] The Times added that this project was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, an act signed by President Barack Obama that aimed to address infrastructure shortfalls.[14]

Investigation[edit]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened an investigation into the accident.[7] A 20-member NTSB Go Team was dispatched to the site of the accident.[42] The NTSB said its investigators would be on-site for seven to ten days.[13] One aspect of the investigation is whether the engineer lost situational awareness.[43]
The NTSB said the train was traveling at 80 mph (130 km/h) at a point soon before it derailed.[44] The speed limit on the curved track segment where the derailment occurred is 30 mph (48 km/h),[45] but the preceding track segment north of Mounts Road has a limit of 79 mph (127 km/h).[46] An initial review by the NTSB said that the train data recorders had been recovered from both locomotives. The recorder showed that engineer had commented on the train's excessive speed six seconds before the derailment, and applied the brakes. The lead locomotive was traveling at 78 mph (126 km/h) when recording stopped. The NTSB said their investigation will take 12 to 24 months.[47]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b "Point Defiance Bypass". Sound Transit. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  2. Jump up^ Lazo, Luz; Halsey, Ashley III (December 18, 2017). "At least 3 killed after Amtrak train derails in Washington state, spilling onto busy highway". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b Sailor, Craig (December 9, 2017). "One of last great Washington train rides coming to an end". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  4. Jump up^ "Statement on Amtrak Cascades derailment" (Press release). Washington State Department of Transportation. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  5. Jump up^ Sailor, Craig (December 18, 2017). "It should have been a celebration for new $181 million train route. What went wrong?". The News Tribune. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  6. Jump up^ Mann, Ted (December 22, 2017). "The Deadly Curve Where Amtrak Train Derailed Was Deemed Too Costly to Remove". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 22, 2017. (Subscription required (help)).
  7. ^ Jump up to:a b c d "Washington train crash: Rail carriage falls on US motorway". BBC News. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  8. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Multiple fatalities, scores injured after Amtrak train plunges off bridge onto I-5". KOMO. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  9. ^ Jump up to:a b "Deaths as train derails on highway bridge in Washington state". Sky News. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  10. Jump up^ "8 p.m. update to I-5 Train Derailment". Washington State Patrol. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  11. Jump up^ Lazo, Luz; Halsey III, Ashley (December 18, 2017). "At least 3 killed after Amtrak train derails in Washington state, spilling onto busy highway". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  12. Jump up^ "Photos: Amtrak train plunges off tracks, closes I-5 south of Tacoma". KOMO. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  13. ^ Jump up to:a b "Amtrak Washington train crash: Investigators focus on speed". BBC News. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 19,2017.
  14. ^ Jump up to:a b c Chokshi, Niraj (December 18, 2017). "Amtrak Train Derailment Leaves Multiple People Dead in Washington State". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  15. Jump up^ Mann, Ted; Lazo, Alejandro; Elinson, Zusha (December 18, 2017). "Three Are Killed as Amtrak Train Derails in Washington State". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  16. Jump up^ "Railroad investigator: 'Shame on them' if there was no Positive Train Control". CNN. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18,2017.
  17. Jump up^ Graham, David A. (December 18, 2017). "A Fatal Derailment in Washington State". The Atlantic.
  18. Jump up^ Bloomquist, Sarah (December 18, 2017). "Amtrak train derailment draws comparisons to Philadelphia Amtrak derailment in 2015". Philadelphia: WPVI News.
  19. Jump up^ "Amtrak train derails in Washington; fatalities reported". CBS. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  20. Jump up^ "Amtrak Washington train crash: Deaths as carriages fall on US motorway". BBC News. December 19, 2017.
  21. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Deaths reported aboard Amtrak train that derailed over Washington state highway". CNN. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  22. Jump up^ "Amtrak Train Derails On Overpass In Washington State, Killing 3". NPR. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  23. Jump up^ Park, Madison; Ralph, Ellis; Ostrower, John. "Amtrak traveled 80 mph before it derailed, NTSB says". CNN. Retrieved December 19,2017.
  24. ^ Jump up to:a b O'Sullivan, Joseph; Bush, Evan; Clarridge, Christine (December 18, 2017). "At least 3 dead after Amtrak train derails from bridge onto Interstate 5 near Olympia". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  25. Jump up^ Ovel, Suzanne (December 21, 2017). "Joint Base Lewis–McChord Soldiers rescue train accident victims [press release]". United States Army.
  26. Jump up^ "Washington State Travel Alerts". Washington State Department of Transportation. December 18, 2017. Archived from the originalon December 18, 2017.
  27. Jump up^ "Travel Times for Tacoma all directions". Washington State Department of Transportation. July 17, 2017. Archived from the original on July 18, 2007.
  28. Jump up^ "Amtrak Service Disruption South of Seattle" (Press release). Amtrak. December 19, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  29. Jump up^ Njus, Elliot (December 18, 2017). "Wash. Amtrak derailment blocks I-5 south, causes northbound backup; some Amtrak trains canceled". The Oregonian. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  30. Jump up^ Orenstein, Walker (December 18, 2017). "Commuters: Stay away from I-5 after Amtrak derailment". The Olympian. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  31. Jump up^ Pittman, Travis (December 18, 2017). "Multiple fatalities, dozens injured in Amtrak crash near DuPont". KING-TV. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  32. Jump up^ Baker, Mike (December 21, 2017). "Washington state: No passenger trains on Amtrak derailment route until safety systems are in place". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  33. Jump up^ Clarridge, Christine; Lee, Jessica. "Cars of Amtrak train that was traveling 50 mph over limit when it derailed are being removed from I-5". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  34. Jump up^ Gutman, David; Long, Katherine (December 20, 2017). "Two I-5 lanes blocked by Amtrak train crash in DuPont will reopen about 5 p.m. Wednesday". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 20,2017.
  35. Jump up^ WSDOT Tacoma Traffic [@wsdot_tacoma] (December 20, 2017). "2 lanes SB I5 now open. 45 mph reduced speed as crews still work"(Tweet) – via Twitter.
  36. Jump up^ staff (December 21, 2017). "All lanes of I-5 at site of deadly Amtrak train derailment are open for morning commute". The Seattle Times.
  37. Jump up^ "Proclamation by the Governor 17–13" (PDF). Governor of Washington. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  38. Jump up^ "Families being reunited with crash victims at DuPont City Hall". Seattle: KING-TV. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18,2017.
  39. Jump up^ "Blood donations needed after Amtrak derailment". Q13 Fox News. December 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  40. Jump up^ Shelbourne, Mallory (December 18, 2017). "Trump: Amtrak crash shows why we need infrastructure plan". The Hill. Retrieved December 18, 2017. In a second tweet 10 minutes later, Trump sent his condolences to people affected by the crash.
  41. Jump up^ Woodward, Calvin. "AP Fact Check: Trump doesn't wait for facts in Amtrak crash". Associated Press.
  42. Jump up^ Gast, Phil; Simon, Darran (December 18, 2017). "The questions investigators will be asking after Amtrak derailment". CNN. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  43. Jump up^ Glenn, Stacia; Robinson, Sean (December 19, 2017). "Amtrak engineer possibly distracted before speeding train derailed, officials say". News Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  44. Jump up^ "Amtrak rail crash: Train was travelling at 80mph in 30mph zone". ITN. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  45. Jump up^ Cohen, Stephen; Burton, Lynsi; DeMay, Daniel (December 18, 2017). "Train may have been well above speed limit before derailment". Seattle P-I. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  46. Jump up^ "Pt. Defiance Bypass Project" (PDF). Washington State Department of Transportation. March 2010. Retrieved December 18,2017.
  47. Jump up^ "NTSB Conducts Initial Review of Amtrak Train Recorders" (Press release). National Transportation Safety Board. December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017. About six seconds prior to the derailment, the engineer made a comment regarding an over speed condition. The engineer’s actions were consistent with the application of the locomotive’s brakes just before the recording ended. It did not appear the engineer placed the brake handle in emergency-braking mode. The recording ended as the locomotive was tilting and the crew was bracing for impact. The final recorded speed of the locomotive was 78 mph.

External links[edit]


List of accidents on Amtrak - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_on_Amtrak
This is a list of accidents and incidents involving Amtrak, which has operated most intercity rail passenger service in the United States since 1971. Collisions[edit]. On April 2, 1980, the Silver Star was involved in a head-on collision with a Seaboard Coast Line freight train in Lakeview, North Carolina. One hundred and ...


*Conspiracy theoy



'Antifa' Falsely Linked to Amtrak Train Derailment by Right-Wing ...
www.newsweek.com/antifa-falsely-linked-amtrak-train-derailment-right-wing-conspir...
 On Monday, some of the usual conspiracy theory suspects—conservative media personality Mike Cernovich, President Donald Trump mega-fan Jack Posobiec, the far-right website Gateway Pundit and Alex Jones's InfoWars—all brought up antifa in the context of a fatal train derailment in Washingtonstate, ...

Washington train crash linked to Antifa by conspiracy theorists, Trump ...
https://www.washingtontimes.com/.../washington-train-crash-linked-antifa-conspiracy...
 Lights illuminate cars from an Amtrak train that derailed above Interstate 5, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled ... more >. Print. By Andrew Blake - The WashingtonTimes ...

Twitter Fools Wonder If Amtrak Train Derailment Was Antifa Sabotage
https://jalopnik.com/twitter-fools-wonder-if-amtrak-train-derailment-was-ant-182139...
the latest crock of shit to come across Idiot Twitter is unsubstantiated rumors that Antifa sabotaged an Amtrak passenger train, causing it to derail in Washington State early this morning. ...Amtrak Train Derailment Onto Highway In Tacoma Reported As 'Mass Casualty Incident ...

Trumpist agitators are suggesting left-wingers sabotaged the Amtrak ...
https://www.salon.com/.../trumpist-agitators-are-suggesting-left-wingers-sabotaged-the...
PJ Media, another conservative site, echoed this theory by writing, "ISIS shouldn't be the only terrorist group under suspicion for the Amtrak derailment in Washington this morning." Right-wing and pro-Trump pundit, Posobiec, and others of his ilk, picked up on the conspiracy theory and ran with it on Twitte

Rail sabotage claim[edit]



I don't know what to do with this so I'm just leaving a formatted link ☆ Bri (talk) 00:12, 19 December 2017 (UTC)
Michael Edison Hayden (December 18, 2017), "'Antifa' falsely linked to Amtrak train derailment by right wing conspiracy peddlers", Newsweek
Puget Sound Anarchists heavy.com
Antifa, Al-Qaeda, or infrastructure: Far-right split on Amtrak Derailment Cause Daily Dot
Katie Herzog (December 18, 2017), "Right-Wing Media Blames Amtrak Derailment on Leftist Activist", The Stranger

More sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/11/29/anti-fracking-activists-and-anarchists-are-blocking-rail-tracks-in-olympia-they-dont-plan-on-leaving/?hpid=hp_rhp-morning-mix_mm-fracking%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.783b798220bf

http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article115608473.html

http://archive.is/6E74K

Bk33725681 (talk) 01:43, 19 December 2017 (UTC)

The Stranger has published comments from an anonymous activist who claims to be from that group, denying their involvement. SounderBruce 01:48, 19 December 2017 (UTC)


*Sources

January

1/25/2018 
NTSB report: Amtrak engineer missed speed-limit signs before the train crashed on a curve south of Tacoma The engineer on the Amtrak train that derailed south of Tacoma on its debut run in December, killing three people and injuring dozens, said he didn't see or didn't recognize the signposts and signals along the track indicating a drastic drop in the speed limit, according to a new report from federal investigators. It was the engineer’s second time driving a train in that direction on a newly opened stretch of track, known as the Point Defiance Bypass. e National Transportation Safety Board interviewed the 55-year-old engineer last week, about a month after the deadly crash. Both the engineer and a qualifying conductor, who was in the locomotive to familiarize himself with the new track, suffered serious injuries, which delayed their interviews,   engineer, whose name hasn’t been released, had completed seven to 10 “observational trips” completed only one training trip driving the locomotive south — the direction it was going when it crashed. What’s more, when he saw a signal at the curve, he mistook it for a different one. completed only one training trip driving the locomotive south — the direction it was going when it crashed. What’s more, when he saw a signal at the curve, he mistook it for a different one. The engineer on the Amtrak train that derailed south of Tacoma last month, killing three people and injuring dozens, said he didn’t see or didn’t recognize the signposts and signals along the track indicating a drastic drop in the speed limit, a new report from federal investigators says.  It was the engineer’s second time driving a train in that direction on a newly opened stretch of track, known as the Point Defiance Bypass... hired by Amtrak as a conductor in 2004 and was promoted to engineer in 2013, said that when the train passed milepost 15.5 it was traveling at the speed limit, about 79 mph.  “The engineer told investigators that he was aware that the curve with the 30 mph speed restriction was at milepost 19.8, and that he had planned to initiate braking about one mile prior to the curve,” the NTSB report says. “The engineer said that he saw mileposts 16 and 17 but didn’t recall seeing milepost 18 or the 30 mph advance speed sign, which was posted two miles ahead of the speed-restricted curve.  “The engineer said that he did see the wayside signal at milepost 19.8 (at the accident curve) but mistook it for another signal, which was north of the curve.” By the time he saw a 30 mph signpost right at the curve, he applied the brakes, the report says, but by then it was too late. prior to the derailment, the qualifying conductor [wasn't paying any attention] said he looked down at his copies of the general track bulletins,” the report says. “He then heard the engineer say or mumble something. He then looked up and sensed that the train was becoming ‘airborne.’ ”

Injured conductor, passenger sue over fatal Amtrak derailment onto I-5 south of Tacoma   January 3, 2018  Garrick Freeman, a conductor who was injured in the Dec. 18 Amtrak derailment.  Conductor Garrick Freeman was riding in the lead locomotive to familiarize himself with the new, faster bypass track that opened Dec. 18, when the Amtrak train derailed and spilled on Interstate 5 in Pierce   ttorneys for an injured conductor filed suit Wednesday against Amtrak, alleging the railroad failed to provide safe working conditions when a speeding passenger train derailed last month south of Tacoma.  Garrick Freeman suffered rib and hip injuries, severe pain and emotional shock, says the eight-page complaint, filed in Pierce County Superior Court. [he didn't watch for speed limit signs either]

NTSB hasn't interviewed engineer in fatal Amtrak derailment south of ...
https://www.seattletimes.com/.../ntsb-hasnt-interviewed-engineer-in-fatal-amtrak-derailm...Jan 4, 2018 - Steve O'Ban, whose district includes the crash site, said he was disappointed that the engineer and conductor had not yet been interviewed. “The Legislature ... The train that derailed was operated by Amtrak but owned and paid for by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Sound Transit owns ...

December 

Amtrak derailment: Conductor was in cab with engineer before deadly ...
https://www.nbcnews.com/.../amtrak-derailment-conductor-was-cab-engineer-deadly-...
Dec 20, 2017 - A conductor was in the cab with the train engineer during an Amtrak train's deadly derailment in Washington state, federal transportation officials revealed Tuesday, adding that the train's brakes were eventually engaged automatically, not by the engineer. "Absolutely distraction is one of our ...

'It Was Kind Of Like A Dream': Washington State Amtrak Passenger ...
https://www.npr.org/.../it-was-kind-of-like-a-dream-washington-state-amtrak-passenger-r...Dec 18, 2017 - Host Ari Shapiro talks with Patricia Freeman, a passenger on the Amtrak train that derailed today in Washington state, about what it was like to be on the train as it crashed. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: When a high-speed Amtrak train left Seattle this morning on a new route to Portland, it was a cause for ...

Washington Amtrak train crash: Here's what it was like the moments of ...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/...crashing...washingtons...amtrak.../962767001/
Dec 18, 2017 - The Washington Amtrak train started to tip over then passengers were sent flying in the air. Windows shattered, people screamed and the train went dark.

NTSB reveals new details about train involved in deadly Washington ...
https://www.cnbc.com/.../ntsb-reveals-new-details-about-train-involved-in-deadly-was...
Dec 19, 2017 - Last piece of Amtrak train wreckage removed from Washington highway as NTSB continues investigation. Workers work to clear the wreckage from Amtrak 501 off Interstate 5 near Dupont, Washington. NTSB is investigating speed and engineer distraction as two possible causes of the accident, though ...

US investigators seek answers from train crew in Washington derailment
https://www.reuters.com/...washington.../u-s-investigators-seek-answers-from-train-cre...
Dec 19, 2017 - U.S. safety inspectors probing the deadly wreck of a passenger train that careened off a bridge onto a highway in Washington state are eager to question the engineer and a conductor-in-training who were in the cab of the locomotive, officials said on Tuesday.

Washington Amtrak crash survivor describes being 'catapulted' into ...
abcnews.go.com/US/washington-amtrak-crash-survivor-describes-catapulted.../story?...Dec 18, 2017 - A survivor of the Washington state derailment described being thrown into the seats in front of him.

Engineer in Fatal Amtrak Crash May Have Been Distracted | National ...
https://www.usnews.com/.../engineer-in-fatal-amtrak-crash-may-have-been-distracted
Dec 20, 2017 - A car from the Amtrak Cascades 501 train dangles onto Interstate 5 in DuPont,Washington after derailing Monday. (Elaine Thompson/AP). Authorities are investigating whether the engineer at the controls during a deadly Amtrak derailment in Washington state Monday failed to notice the train was going too ..
 Amtrak engineer in Washington state train crash was not using cellphone Originally published December 22, 2017 at 9:48 am Updated December 22, 2017 at 10:17 am The National Transportation Safety Board says the Amtrak engineer involved in Monday’s derailment was not using a cellphone or other personal electronic device at the time of the crash.  The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, said that it had completed an initial review of security cameras, which were directed inside and outside the cab.  six seconds before the derailment, the engineer commented on “an over speed condition,” according to the NTSB report. “The engineer’s actions were consistent with the application of the locomotive’s brakes just before the recording ended,”

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/train-derailment-near-olympia-officials-pushed-aggressive-timeline-before-safety-technology-was-ready
transportation leaders had long ago envisioned the corridor would be refurbished by 2019, according to state records, but to fully collect federal stimulus money, construction had to be completed by mid-2017 waited just a few more months, the service would have included a critical safety feature that automatically slows trains if they exceed speed limits.   did not have an immediate comment on why new higher-speed service began before the safety system was fully activated. If operator error was a factor, it would mark yet another fatal crash that could potentially have been prevented by positive train control, including Amtrak’s worst accident in recent years, when a train derailed at more than 100 mph in Philadelphia in 2015,... scrutiny is the extent of crew training that Amtrak employees received before taking passengers on the rerouted tracks. Railroad workers used to receive more training, and union officials have been in an ongoing struggle with railroads to invest in more practice runs for crews that are assigned to new routes... crew members were trained on the route in the past two weeks ...  braking systems are generally very reliable, enabling a train to slow to 30 mph within about a mile. New York probable cause was the engineer falling asleep due to undiagnosed severe obstructive sleep apnea — and that the lack of train controls was a contributing factor. 2015  probable cause was an engineer accelerating due to a loss of situational awareness — and, again, that the lack of train controls was a contributing factor. Steilacoom, Pierce County, a nonfatal Amtrak derailment led officials to blame speed and human error  Seattlenative1958 51 minutes ago
3.....2....1.... hat is the count down to the engineer and conductor lawyering up


A train car from Monday's fatal Amtrak derailment near DuPont is lifted over the tracks yesterday. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)
Times Watchdog: Rail officials pushed 'aggressive' timeline before safety technology was ready
Had it been just a few months later, the new route where a speeding Amtrak train derailed and toppled cars onto I-5 traffic would have included a critical feature that automatically slows trains if they exceed speed limits. More:


Safety Inspectors to Interview All Crew Members After Fatal Amtrak ...fortune.com › Leadership › Amtrak
11 hours ago - U.S. safety inspectors probing the deadly wreck of a passenger train that careened off a bridge onto a highway in Washington state are eager to question the engineer and a conductor-in-training who were in the cab of the locomotive, officials said on Tuesday. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ...
U.S. investigators seek answers from train crew in Washington ...https://www.reuters.com/...train/us-investigators-seek-answers-from-train-crew-in-was...
17 hours ago - The accident occurred during the train's inaugural run on a new, slightly quicker route between Olympia and Tacoma, with 86 people aboard, 80 of them passengers, Amtrak said. NTSB officials said they planned to interview all the crew members in the next two days, once they sufficiently recover from ...
U.S. investigators seek to interview train crew in Washington derailmenthttps://www.reuters.com/...train/us-investigators-seek-to-interview-train-crew-in-washi...
17 hours ago - DUPONT, Wash. (Reuters) - Safety investigators hope the engineer of an Amtrakpassenger train that careened off a bridge onto a highway in Washington state can help explain why his locomotive was going more than twice the speed limit when the deadly derailment occurred, officials said on Tuesday.
U.S. Investigators Seek to Interview Train Crew in Washington ...▶ 0:31https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=525j9qArmBA
 Uploaded by Wochit NewsDUPONT, Wash. (Reuters) - Safety investigators hope the engineer of an Amtrakpassenger train that ...

The questions investigators will be asking after Amtrak derailment - CNNwww.cnn.com/2017/12/18/us/amtrak-derailment-ntsb-investigation/index.html
The 20-member National Transportation Safety Board go-team that's been rushed to the scene of the deadly train derailment in Washington state will scour data and interview those on board.
U.S. investigators seek to interview train crew in... | World Newsdaily.news.goldwave.com/news/us-investigators-seek-to-interview-train-crew-in

July 2, 2017 derail Speed, human error blamed for Amtrak derailment near Chambers Bay Seattle Times  train’s engineer was removed from his post after the accident.  a worker jumped off the bridge, falling down the bank and into the water. The worker sustained minor injuries. engineer approached a drawbridge going faster than the 40-mph speed limit  northbound passenger train passed a final signal that, when red, tells the engineer to stop because the drawbridge is being raised or lowered. The train then moved through a derail device that knocked it off the rails  BNSF has installed positive train control but Amtrak not due until 2018

Originally published July 6, 2017 at 2:46 pm Updated July 7, 2017 at 1:39 pm
Emergency crews respond to the scene of a train derailment near Chambers Bay on Sundaynear Steilacoom.  (Joshua Bessex/The Associated Press)
Crews put a derailed Amtrak locomotive back on the tracks Monday, July 3, 2017, in Steilacoom next to the bridge over Chambers Creek, Wash. There were only minor injuries when the locomotive and baggage car of the Amtrak Cascades train carrying 267 passengers derailed on Sunday.  (Peter Haley/The Associated Press)

An Amtrak spokeswoman said the train’s engineer was removed from his post after the accident.
unday’s derailment of an Amtrak passenger train near Steilacoom happened because the engineer approached a drawbridge going faster than the 40-mph speed limit, railroad officials say.

Amtrak blames human error  derail is there to keep trains from proceeding when the bridge is in the ‘up’ position
a worker jumped off the bridge, falling down the bank and into the water. The worker sustained minor injuries.

NSF has installed new-generation positive train-control systems, which use satellite technology to prevent collisions and missed signals. Amtrak is scheduled to install this technology in its locomotives by the end of 2018


Amtrak train that derailed onto I-5 was reportedly going 80 in a 30-mph zone, officials say
Originally published December 18, 2017
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/curve-where-amtrak-train-derailed-in-washington-has-speed-limit-of-30-mph/#comments

 other fatal passenger-train accidents have also come from speeding trains that did not have the train control system installed. That includes 2013 Metro-North commuter train in the Bronx and a 2015 Amtrak crash in Philadelphia, when a train traveling more than twice the speed limit went off the tracks, killing eight people.

In Washington state, Amtrak suspended a train engineer earlier this year after a derailment near Steilacoom, Pierce County. Officials blamed speed and human error in that case, saying the engineer

Master_Dodsen 19 hours ago
50 mph over the posted speed limit...???  Okay... that's criminal.  This Engineer who was driving the train and the Conductor overseeing the operation of the train need to be held to account.  As well as AMTRAK and WSDOT for not enforcing speed limit rules.  Institute a third crewman in the locomotive to enforce speed rules and possibly have crewmen in the trailing locomotive to provide breaking.  Fix this now

"As well as AMTRAK and WSDOT for not enforcing speed limit rules."

Conductors are trained to follow the posted speed limits. Just like Metro bus drivers are trained to follow the rules of the road. Just like school bus drivers are. Etc. Etc. What kind of enforcement are you talking about?

 @Master_Dodsen

Just like airlines and buses, there is a dispatch control station where trains are monitored while on the lines.  The control monitors should've radioed to the Conductor and Engineer that they were entering a sharp curve and told them to break.  Possibly, the control station should have flipped the switch to force the train to break externally.  Those are a couple of the safety regulations that can be implemented from AMTRAK and WSDOT itself.


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shiner5555

@user1042388 Sounds like somebody has watched too many train movies. The train dispatcher has no way to monitor the speed of a train in real time and has no ability to stop a train from a remote location.


irst sensible statment I've seen. Only way train flies off that speed with an experience driver is if he knew exactly what he was doing. Slowing down for the curve is something even a driver in training can handle, otherwise no train is safe if drivers keep mysteriously speeding up or failing to slow down for curves. It takes two miles to slow down, so even positive train control would not slow down an 80 mph train to 30 at the posted sign.Edit (in 2 minutes)

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blames trump Jeff Fisher 20 hours ago
This safety upgrade has been delayed multiple times due to lack of funding.  There was a Nova which talked about it this year.

Today the republicans intend to shovel the money that could have completed these projects into the already overflowing pockets of the very rich.

Trumps budget contains many millions in cuts for train infrastructure, regardless of what seemed like a good tweet to him yesterday.

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