Amtrak

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Eight confirmed dead now and there's still not a thread on here about this...so here it is. \

Live Amtrak crash updates

 

[murphyc]

Sounds like the engineer is in some hot water, which makes sense because the train was going 106 mph. As much as I'd like to know why he had the train going that fast, I wouldn't be surprised if he's so lawyered up the truth takes a long time to come out, if ever.

 

[Vombatus]

It's protocol for the train crew to undergo immediate drug and alcohol testing after an accident. The results will be interesting. Also, there's a strong possibility of distracted operation - namely cell/smartphones. My bet is on one of the two, substance use or distraction, and maybe even both.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Sounds like the engineer is in some hot water, which makes sense because the train was going 106 mph. As much as I'd like to know why he had the train going that fast, I wouldn't be surprised if he's so lawyered up the truth takes a long time to come out, if ever.

They haven't ruled out that it was mechanical failure or brakes not working or something wrong with the track. Those trains do up to 125 mph. On the curve, the speed limit was 50. It wouldn't be his fault if he wasn't able to slow the train down due to mechanical failure. Not saying that is what happened, but we don't know.

 

[Songbird]

It was important for everyone to mention that he's gay. Crashed it cuz he's gay.

 

[old_tony]

I saw a report that said he doesn't remember anything other than coming to in the wreckage, finding his cell phone and calling 911.

 

[BDC99]

They haven't ruled out that it was mechanical failure or brakes not working or something wrong with the track. Those trains do up to 125 mph. On the curve, the speed limit was 50. It wouldn't be his fault if he wasn't able to slow the train down due to mechanical failure. Not saying that is what happened, but we don't know.

Definitely true. Could very well have been mechanical, and it was totally unfair for the mayor to blast the guy until he knows the facts. But since I'm not the mayor, I will say that my first thought was distraction by a cell phone. I hope not.

 

[Dyno]

I'm guessing he fell asleep at the controls.

 

[Vombatus]

Track failure: no. A curve rated at 50 mph is not going to hold a train going 106. There will be broken rails and roadbed everywhere, as a result of (not as the cause of) the high speed derailment.

Brake failure: no on several accounts. Each car has air brakes which are pressurized to keep the brakes OFF. Loss of pressure applies the brakes. Also, it's been reported that the train went into "emergency" braking. That can happen two ways. Loss of pressure as described above, typically when a brake hose fails, cars become uncoupled, etc., or by the engineer throwing the train into emergency. The latter is likely if the engineer realized where he was and tried to save the situation. In this case, it was far too late due to the excessive speed. Anyway, braking wasn't the problem. Speed was.

Mechanical issues causing excessive speed: I don't think the area was on a large downhill grade. I can't see a runaway train, especially since the emergency brakes did slow the train from 106 down to 102 before impact / sudden deceleration. Throttle stuck open? Maybe, but an attentive engineer should have responded much sooner and applied the air brakes and dynamic brakes much sooner, well before the curve.

I highly doubt mechanical. This will probably be human error from substance abuse and/or distraction.

One thing it could be was a suicide attempt by the engineer, but that would generally only work in a head on collision with another train, and the switches are controlled through Automatic Traffic Control, a head on collision is out of the engineer's hands. So I doubt suicide attempt. Although, I do know a gal who tried to commit suicide by jumping off a two story building.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

Something is fishy here. I've taken Amtrak on that route from Philadelphia to NYC. It's a giant S-bend from 30th St. Station through north Philly until you straighten out onto the I-95 corridor in northeast Philadelphia. He knew this. He had been at this job for four years. Not to mention he was seven minutes into the trip, so I can't see falling asleep being the cause.

 

[The Big Ragu]

That is exactly my thought. I do that train ride a lot. In fact, I was supposed to be on a train from NY to Philly this afternoon. He had just left 30th Street station a few minutes before. What are the chances that he was asleep?

 

[YankeeFan]

And, the train accelerated right right before the crash. So, is suicide by train a real possibility?


The speed of the ill-fated Amtrak train that derailed in Philadelphia on Tuesday night accelerated right before the crash, authorities revealed today.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board have said the train was traveling in excess speeds of 100 mph at the time of the crash -- twice the speed limit in that section of track -- right before the crash.
...
Sumwalt said video from inside the cabin shows that 65 seconds before the crash, the train’s speed went above 70 mph. Just 16 seconds before the end of the recording, the train’s speed went above 100 mph, Sumwalt added.

Amtrak Crash: Train Accelerated Before Derailment, NTSB Says - ABC News

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Was this guy anywhere nearby?

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/photo_06_hires.jpg

 

[YankeeFan]

nyti.ms/1IEjPU2

 

[murphyc]

They haven't ruled out that it was mechanical failure or brakes not working or something wrong with the track. Those trains do up to 125 mph. On the curve, the speed limit was 50. It wouldn't be his fault if he wasn't able to slow the train down due to mechanical failure. Not saying that is what happened, but we don't know.

True, we don't know. But from the initial stories I read before I posted, the engineer seemed to be getting the most attention, not mechanical problems. If the engineer did something to cause the crash (whether it be intentional or because of drugs/falling asleep/distracted or whatever) my instinct is he'll lawyer up and not reveal anything incriminating, at least not for now.

 

[Drip]

I know this stretch pretty well. In 1943, there was a crash in the same general area. 79 people died. Dude said he doesn't remember. That saves him some time until the tests results return and the investigation reaches a conclusion.
Amtrak likely faces hundreds of millions of dollars in claims from victims of the derailment. Because Congress capped such payouts for Amtrak in 1997, money to compensate victims probably will fall short of what is needed.Under the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act, damages paid by the government to people injured in Amtrak derailments and to families of those passengers killed was limited to $200 million per crash. But with eight killed and about 200 of the 238 passengers injured, some very seriously, claims from this week's crash will probably exceed that amount.

 

[Songbird]

Was the train shot at? Rock thrown at engineer's windshield. One of the first things I read that night is passenger(s) talking about shots being fired right after the crash.

Amtrak Engineer Said His Train May Have Been Struck, Co-Worker Told NTSB - ABC News

 

[BDC99]

Interesting. I did notice in one of the shots of the train afterward, there was a hole and cracks in the windshield. Maybe the engineer got hit with a rock? That would be crazy. And the kids who threw that would be ****ting their pants for the past few days.

 

[Vombatus]

WTF? The grassy knoll defense?

 

[Vombatus]

Kids and morons have been throwing rocks at trains for 185 years. This isn't the cause of this accident. It is coincidental.

From reading the stories, a SEPTA train reported being hit by something. The Amtrak engineer then radioed that he thought something similar had happened to him, EARLIER. And he didn't radio, oh ****, my train is accelerating out of control.

Coincidence. Not the cause of the accident.