*Another* Amtrak train crash? Passenger train hits CSX freight train at 60mph on a siding in SC (Miami, governor)
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Why so many Amtrak crashes in the last month or two? Are they happening more, or just getting reported more? If the latter, how many of these fatal crashes has Amtrak had in the last ten-plus years???
Why was an Amtrak passenger train going 60mph on a siding?
The CSX freight train was apparently properly parked on the siding and shut down. No one was aboard the CSX train.
Amtrak, CSX train collision in South Carolina leaves 2 dead, over 100 injured, officials say
by Travis Fedschun, Bradford Betz
Fox News
Two Amtrak personnel were killed and over 100 others were injured when an Amtrak passenger train collided with a parked CSX freight train early Sunday just outside the capital of South Carolina, officials said.
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division said Amtrak 91 was traveling from New York to Miami when it collided with the CSX train in Cayce around 2:35 a.m. “It appears to me that the CSX train was the track it was supposed to be on,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said at a news conference. “It appears Amtrak was on the wrong track. That’s what it appears to me.”
McMaster said the two people killed in the crash were Amtrak personnel and 116 people were taken to area hospitals. Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher identified the two victims of Amtrak crash as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, and conductor Michael Cella, 36. Fisher said that several people remain in critical condition. The governor added that no one was on the CSX train at the time of teh crash, and the Amtrak train was estimated to be going 59 mph.
"Two trains, that's as forceful as can get," he said, adding that "I would ask this is a Sunday, everyone go to church and say a prayer for these people involved."
TV announcers have pointed out that most trains have data recorders, similar to what large airliners have. And they mentioned that there may be "additional video surveillance tapes" that may show details.
A switch set to the wrong position, maybe? Still curious how a through train going 60mph (probably as it should, no problem with the speed), got shunted onto a siding at all, much less a siding occupied by a stopped freight train.
Don't all railroad track switches have visual indicators that can show an oncoming train, what position they're in? Even if the engineer saw such a thing, how far from it, would he have seen it? The crash took place around 3:00AM, it would be quite dark. Trains have powerful headlights, but how far ahead do they let you see?
I wonder if that Amtrak train had a camera pointing straight forward from the cab, to show what the engineer should have seen. For that matter, I wonder the same thing about the train that hit the truck in Virginia a few days ago, too.
As I asked in the thread on this topic in Current Events; how does one put blame on the AMTRAK train that was supposed to be mainlined through when the distribution point switching yard is owned by CSX, maintained by CSX and OPERATED by CSX with the news reporting that the switch was "open" (prematurely) in preparation of the CSX train #210 leaving?
The AMTRAK train had right of way on the mainline but through CSX yard operators was forced onto the siding by the switch being open.
In the face of this stuff wouldn't it seem reasonable to believe the AMTRAK crew had no chance at all?
I think this one's going to be the fault of CSX. they still don't have updated rail technology.
CSX owned that stretch of track? News to me. But then, I'm not familiar with track ownership, equipment etc.
It was pretty clearly the Amtrak train that was in the wrong place. What we don't know, is WHY.
BTW, do railroads have automatic displays in some kind of major headquarters building, that show the condition of the track, the positions of all the switches, maybe the position and speed of each train etc. etc.?
I don't know. I've seen such things in movies (ooh, there's a reliable source), but don't know if they actually exist or are just fictional inventions by Hollywood.
As I asked in the thread on this topic in Current Events; how does one put blame on the AMTRAK train that was supposed to be mainlined through when the distribution point switching yard is owned by CSX, maintained by CSX and OPERATED by CSX with the news reporting that the switch was "open" (prematurely) in preparation of the CSX train #210 leaving?
The AMTRAK train had right of way on the mainline but through CSX yard operators was forced onto the siding by the switch being open.
In the face of this stuff wouldn't it seem reasonable to believe the AMTRAK crew had no chance at all?
I am inclined to agree with you.
But if Amtrak took the switch at speed, they could have derailed at that point but apparently didn’t.
A switch was left open. As a train driver there is no other explanation. I wonder if the signal was green.
But if Amtrak took the switch at speed, they could have derailed at that point but apparently didn’t.
A switch was left open. As a train driver there is no other explanation. I wonder if the signal was green.
After the engine hit that switch at 59mph and got sharply diverted, I can only imagine the WTF moment the crew had before realizing what was about to happen.
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