AMTRAK derailment....

[dennis in se pa]

I am going to guess it was going too fast around the bend. Several passengers have mentioned this. What a mess. So sorry for the injured.

[widgeon13]

I'll wait for the real experts to come to their conclusions. It does no good to speculate.

Sad for all those effected by this and lose of life.

[Crack4h8r's]

This happened less than two blocks from my Firehouse.

I had my daughter in the car to take her for a ride to fall alseep when the first police went by. I followed them to the spot, but you couldnt tell anything disastrous happened.

No fire, smoke, etc. Just a couple cops and a circling helo (totally common in this neighborhood). I thought it was another shooting.

Took my little one for her ride, by the time we got back there were at least 100 cops and fire trucks there.

Craziest thing, even though i was in my garage with the door up, we never heard any kind of a crash at all....and again, we were less than 2 blocks away. If i'd have heard an epic crash i'd have woke my fiance' the Nurse and passed my little one to the neighbor, and we'd have gone down there to help.

But no crash sound at all.

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

I am going to guess it was going too fast around the bend. Several passengers have mentioned this. What a mess. So sorry for the injured.

Unfortunately, it looks like Dennis might be right, per the WSJ:

‘Excessive Speed’ Probed as Factor in Fatal Philadelphia Train Wreck'

PHILADELPHIA—An Amtrak train involved in a fatal crash here appears to have been traveling at more than 100 miles an hour as it entered a sharp curve where it derailed Tuesday night, killing at least six people, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation.

The speed limit in that section of track drops to 50 miles per hour, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

Investigators are focusing on the possibility that excessive speed was a factor in the derailment, one of these people said. The locomotive and all seven passenger cars of the train went off the tracks at a tight curve at Frankford Junction, north of Philadelphia city center. Multiple cars overturned, severely injuring some passengers and pinning others. Six people were killed and more than 200 were injured, including eight who were in critical condition.

[Tobra]

First thing I thought when I heard this, glad Bill is not an Amtrack commuter.

[Crack4h8r's]

A lot of news outlets seem to be having a problem describing where in Philly this was.

Frankford is the lowest neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia. This actually happened right on the border of Frankford and Port Richmond.

I still can't believe i heard no crash.

[GG Allin]

OT, but something I've learned in the last 12 hours, Amtrak has a train that goes 150+ mph? Who knew, where the hell have I been?

[Rtrorkt]

Philadelphia Amtrak Crash: Train Was Going Faster Than 100 MPH, Sources Say - NBC News 100MPH at a 50MPH corner

[Rickysa]

Amtrak has a train that goes 150+ mph?

The Acela Express : Boston - New Haven - New York - Philadelphia - Baltimore - Washington, DC

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by Rtrorkt

Philadelphia Amtrak Crash: Train Was Going Faster Than 100 MPH, Sources Say - NBC News 100MPH at a 50MPH corner

Perhaps a very important text had come in just ahead of that curve.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Rickysa

The Acela Express : Boston - New Haven - New York - Philadelphia - Baltimore - Washington, DC

I ride the Acela five or six times a year. If it hits 150mph it is falling off a bridge.

It is not about the train, it is about the track.

Why they do not automate the trains with a human in the loop is stunning to me. The airlines do.

[Rickysa]

I ride the Acela five or six times a year. If it hits 150mph it is falling off a bridge

I just know the name from crosswords

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Rickysa

I just know the name from crosswords

Me, too!

There are times on the Acela when I flash back to the train wreck scene from the 'Fugitive' movie. Eek.

[daepp]

Wow - 107 in a 50. Wonder if a throttle could have stuck?

Re automation, how about until then you simply add a second human in the cab until a proper solution is found??

UNSA lost one of their finest - a Midshipman on his way home to visit his family after a grueling year at the Academy. So sad - for all.

[intakexhaust]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Why they do not automate the trains with a human in the loop is stunning to me. The airlines do.

Last year a Chicago commuter train crashed in a station (up into an escalator!) due to a 25 y.o. woman operator falling asleep. Even worse, read about her prior's.

Train Operator Behind O'Hare Crash Identified | NBC Chicago

[wildthing]

You'd think with today's technology, these trains would automatically slow down based on their location.

[rfuerst911sc]

Heard today on the news that the engineer/conductor has refused to give a statement to police or the investigators. I'm thinking that's a bad sign.

[intakexhaust]

^ Same thought entered my mind. I don't like hearing the word 'refused' but probably formalities and lawyers + Union officials will control the matter.

[dafischer]

Investigators: Train in deadly wreck was speeding 106 mph

An excerpt from the article regarding automation...

Despite pressure from Congress and safety regulators, Amtrak had not installed along that section of track Positive Train Control, a technology that uses GPS, wireless radio and computers to prevent trains from going over the speed limit. Most of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor is equipped with Positive Train Control.

"Based on what we know right now, we feel that had such a system been installed in this section of track, this accident would not have occurred," Sumwalt said.

Lawyers are jockeying for position on this one.

[rusnak]

I asked the clerk at the U.S. Post Office why they removed the postage vending machine. I would use that instead of standing in line.

She said "Because it eliminates our jobs".

Maybe we need to eliminate some train conductor jobs.