Seattle Amtrak derails in Montana (construction, taxes, costs)

[pnwguy2]

Empire Builder train from Seattle derails in northern Montana. Injuries, maybe fatalities. Breaking story.

[2nd trick op]

There ia a great deal of room for speculaton as to what might have happened here: The higway crosssing in question is located in a remote rural area and does not appear to have any protection in the form of flashing crossing signals, etc. And the rail line, while fairly heavily trafficked, sees only four passenger trains, which can operate at up to 79 MPH vs 50-60 MPH for freights, in each direction per week.

The highway vehicle involved was a farm tractor, upon which other machinery had been mounted; these may have reduced visibility for the operator. And farm family members are often permitted to operate machinery at a younger age in many farm states; I'm not familiar with whether the licensing of 14-year-olds, which was permitted in some states when I was growing up fifty years ago, was tightened as part of a Federal highway construction bill (as was the case with the uniform 21-year drinking age).

And finally, trains at speed can often tear a highway semi-trailer in two (even a loaded one if the lading isn't too dense), but a tractor, due to the distribution of its weight and as opposed to a compact auto, is a very substantial-and-solid piece of machinery; hence the derailment. I expect that this incident will get a lot of analysis on those sites patronized by railroad buffs.

[pnwguy2]

Correction: westbound from Chicago.

[Chimérique]

Anymore news on why it derailed? I was on this train, eastbound, not too long ago bound for Milwaukee.

I was on an eastbound train ChiTown to Philly, and 5 mins before the Indy stop, someone committed suicide by jumping in front of our train.

After the train stopped the conductor went outside in the dark with his flashlight and saw the gruesome site. The conductor later told us suicide by train is common.

It delayed us by 4 hours, which was record time in cleaning it up, normally it can take 12-24 hours and they deboard the train. They kept us on the train while they cleaned it up and did their investigation (multiple agencies are involved). All the Indianapolis passengers were waiting by the train doors to deboard in 5 mins, instead they had to wait 4 hours, and we were within walking distance of the Indianappolis station, but of course they couldn't let them off for safety reasons.

Sorry I just had to share that train story happened this summer.

[pnwguy2]

Amtrak has not been known to be successful after the government took it over 50 plus years ago. Too bad as other major countries have kept their systems profitable. Not sure what the answer is.

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Amtrak has not been known to be successful after the government took it over 50 plus years ago. Too bad as other major countries have kept their systems profitable. Not sure what the answer is.

The most prominent single factor is that those "other major countries" (with the exception of Canada) impose punitive taxes on automobile ownership, fuel, and accessories; just another of the benefits of socialism.

[t. raleigh fingers]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Amtrak has not been known to be successful after the government took it over 50 plus years ago. Too bad as other major countries have kept their systems profitable. Not sure what the answer is.

Amtrak was created in the Nixon admin (1971), and was supposed to become quickly self-sufficient. It never did.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-gm-the-new-amtrak

Amtrak subsidies amount to $85,000 a year for each Amtrak employee, or about $35 every time Amtrak sells a ticket. Bottom line: It costs taxpayers about $1.40 for every $1 of revenue Amtrak takes in. And Amtrak is still mindful of the importance of its ties to Congress.

All that said, accidents will happen with any form of transportation, so Amtrak's other problems are probably neither here nor there in this case.

[t. raleigh fingers]

Originally Posted by 2nd trick op

The most prominent single factor is that those "other major countries" (with the exception of Canada) impose punitive taxes on automobile ownership, fuel, and accessories; just another of the benefits of socialism.

Also that passenger rail is not practical in a land that is 3000 miles by 3000 miles. Sometime after 9/11 I wanted to go from Seattle to Chicago. I didn't want to fly, so I looked on Amtrak.com. The journey was something like 5 days by rail. I booked a plane ticket.

[rjshae]

Originally Posted by t. raleigh fingers

Also that passenger rail is not practical in a land that is 3000 miles by 3000 miles. Sometime after 9/11 I wanted to go from Seattle to Chicago. I didn't want to fly, so I looked on Amtrak.com. The journey was something like 5 days by rail. I booked a plane ticket.

Exactly. Planes are cheaper to use per mile and much faster, whereas trains are much easier and faster to embark/debark, plus they are generally more comfortable. The latter makes more sense for trips of just a few hundred miles or less.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by t. raleigh fingers

Also that passenger rail is not practical in a land that is 3000 miles by 3000 miles. Sometime after 9/11 I wanted to go from Seattle to Chicago. I didn't want to fly, so I looked on Amtrak.com. The journey was something like 5 days by rail. I booked a plane ticket.

Actually it is about two days, two hours on the Empire Builder, assuming they are on time. I have taken that trip atleast a dozen times in my lifetime, but admittedly about half of them were NOT on time, mostly due to freight traffic having priority.