PA - Amtrak train from Washington crashes in Philadelphia, May 2015

[Hatfield]

Very interesting, thank you. My daughter and I discussed this accident at length as she used to take this route regularly on her way to Sloan Kettering. We wondered if a third party of some sort could be responsible.

Once again, this wreck brings home the fact that we need to be more loving and caring to our friends and family - at any minute, in any place, they could be taken from us.

:cow:

The route is a fun route going to NYC from Philly area. Its actually the best way to get into Manhattan from Philly if you dont want to drive it. You end up in Penn Station in Manhattan as the final stop in NYC. It is so neat arriving at Penn Station.

Penn Station is really a neat train station if anyone ever gets a chance to ever take a train to or from that station. I always felt like I was in a movie when in that station. It reminded me of old classic movie sets.

Its a HUGE station with all kinds of vendors and tons of people hustling and bustling about. Its rather exciting in Penn Station.

I know now is not a good time to want to take a train but I probably would take the route again if I had to get to Manhattan.

 

[Trident]

The route is a fun route going to NYC from Philly area. Its actually the best way to get into Manhattan from Philly if you dont want to drive it. You end up in Penn Station in Manhattan as the final stop in NYC. It is so neat arriving at Penn Station.

Penn Station is really a neat train station if anyone ever gets a chance to ever take a train to or from that station. I always felt like I was in a movie when in that station. It reminded me of old classic movie sets.

Its a HUGE station with all kinds of vendors and tons of people hustling and bustling about. Its rather exciting in Penn Station.

I know now is not a good time to want to take a train but I probably would take the route again if I had to get to Manhattan.

Penn Station is interesting, it holds a lot of memories for me, especially the big clock. I went there every day for years - going to school and then working right across from it.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

So, do you think he did it intentionally to derail and hurt people?

I honestly don't know but the entire set of events as we know them now are very troublesome for me.

He had to see the rails beginning to curve when he sped it up to 106 MPH. Its not like he is driving blind when he is up in the cab of the train.

Maybe things will become clearer in the coming days.

IMO

 

[atthelake]

I can understand wanting to cap it but I dont like the way they did it. Because what if there was 300 people on board. That would mean less than 1 million per person.

What they should have done is had a max per person. Like 2 million per person for any injuries OR death. And if injuries only, then of course they would have to negotiate the amount up to 2 million max per person.

Seems much fairer to have a cap per person.

If 1 million... assume 45% IRS tax plus state tax plus other taxes? Therefore receives 550,000.

Then the lawyer takes his 33% of the one million...

550-330=$220,000 to the estate?

 

[CARIIS]

You forgot the accountant!

And here come the lawsuits- the first out of the gate is an employee...

lawsuit states Phillips suffered serious and permanent injuries including brain trauma, multiple contusions and lacerations of the body, multiple orthopedic and neurological issues and emotional trauma. The lawsuit also states Phillips suffered a "loss and impairment of earnings and earning power," has undergone "great physical pain and mental anguish," and will have to pay "large sums of money" for medical treatment.

Read more: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...erailment-Deadly-303812961.html#ixzz3aDT4KzHJ
Follow us: @nbcphiladelphia on Twitter | nbcphiladelphia on Facebook
​

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

After learning about Mr. Bostian's internet comments regarding train safety, I can't help but wonder if he caused the wreck to prove his point. :waitasec: :moo:

 

[CARIIS]

[h=2]Amtrak failed to install train-speed control at Philadelphia's Frankford Junction on northbound side; CEO Joseph Boardman says management unaware of lack of that control before Tuesday crash - @PhillyInquirer[/h]

Hey at least he admitted it !

US House Appropriations Committee says there are conflicts between what NTSB and Amtrak said about positive train control systems at site of Philadelphia derailment; NTSB said systems were not installed and Amtrak said they were installed, but not turned on - @ChadPergram



On Philadelphia train derailment, Amtrak president says company 'takes full responsibility and deeply apologizes for our role in this tragic event' - @ABC


On Philadelphia derailment, NTSB: If temporary speed limit, it's posted. If permanent, like this one, is not posted. Engineer expected to know. -
NTSB's Robert Sumwalt: Don't know if speed increases were done manually. Want to find out when interviewing engineer - @PhillyInquirer







NTSB: Inspection showed no anomalies in track signals at site of Philadelphia derailment; train had left on time.



Ambassador says Italian citizen among 8 people who died in Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment - @CBSPhilly

 

[CARIIS]

The widespread delay in installing these safety measures is not, for the most part, due to lack of funds for capital improvements. Nor is it due to any unwillingness on the part of operators. The fact remains that a system that can remotely take control of a train under the proper circumstances, and only under those circumstances, is an extremely complex undertaking – especially because railroads routinely use one another’s tracks. Amtrak itself makes extensive use of freight tracks in most parts of the country. Each railroad has its own tools, but they need to install systems that can communicate with one another for the system to function.

Amtrak was formed approximately 45 years ago from the financial wreckage of America’s rail passenger service, with a mandate to make itself self-sustaining. That has never come close to happening, partly due to poor management, but mostly because it is impossible. Trains tend to make money when they are moving bulky cargo slowly over very long distances. If you properly account for capital costs, they invariably lose money when the goal is to move small cargo – like passengers and their briefcases – quickly over short distances.


Passenger rail travel will never be economically self-sustaining in this country. Not as metropolitan commuter lines. Not as long-haul conveyances across our wide-open spaces. Not even in the Northeast Corridor, where Amtrak is basically an extended commuter line, nominally profitable (if someone else pays for the hardware) but not nearly enough to support the rest of a creaky system.


[h=1]Chasing Amtrak’s Ambulances by Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP®[/h]

 

[oceanblueeyes]

After learning about Mr. Bostian's internet comments regarding train safety, I can't help but wonder if he caused the wreck to prove his point. :waitasec: :moo:

I wasn't going to mention that but the very same thing did cross my mind.

 

[Peliman]

If 1 million... assume 45% IRS tax plus state tax plus other taxes? Therefore receives 550,000.

Then the lawyer takes his 33% of the one million...

550-330=$220,000 to the estate?

Could be wrong but I don't think personal injury awards are taxable.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I wasn't going to mention that but the very same thing did cross my mind.

I watched several hours (off & on) of CNN reporting on the Amtrak accident yesterday and was intrigued by the continued references to Bostian's frequent internet postings on train safety. It's as if he were trying to get his point across to "someone" whom he felt wasn't listening. :moo:

 

[Isabelle]

[h=2]Amtrak failed to install train-speed control at Philadelphia's Frankford Junction on northbound side; CEO Joseph Boardman says management unaware of lack of that control before Tuesday crash - @PhillyInquirer[/h]

Hey at least he admitted it !

US House Appropriations Committee says there are conflicts between what NTSB and Amtrak said about positive train control systems at site of Philadelphia derailment; NTSB said systems were not installed and Amtrak said they were installed, but not turned on - @ChadPergram



On Philadelphia train derailment, Amtrak president says company 'takes full responsibility and deeply apologizes for our role in this tragic event' - @ABC


On Philadelphia derailment, NTSB: If temporary speed limit, it's posted. If permanent, like this one, is not posted. Engineer expected to know. -
NTSB's Robert Sumwalt: Don't know if speed increases were done manually. Want to find out when interviewing engineer - @PhillyInquirer







NTSB: Inspection showed no anomalies in track signals at site of Philadelphia derailment; train had left on time.



Ambassador says Italian citizen among 8 people who died in Philadelphia Amtrak train derailment - @CBSPhilly

You'd think the black box would tell if speed was manually increased or not??

 

[IHAVENOCLUE]

After learning about Mr. Bostian's internet comments regarding train safety, I can't help but wonder if he caused the wreck to prove his point. :waitasec: :moo:

This thought has entered my mind, too...

:waitasec:

 

[Zuri]

I realize this is a long shot: Is there any way the Amtrak computers or trains could have been sabotaged or hacked? IIRC, after 9/11, authorities were worried about the safety of trains. If China, North Korea or Russia can hack into the supposed very secure firewalls of government agencies, could the train have somehow been sabotaged in Philadelphia?
Or has then been definitely ruled out?

 

[LietKynes]

After learning about Mr. Bostian's internet comments regarding train safety, I can't help but wonder if he caused the wreck to prove his point. :waitasec: :moo:

RSBM Emphasis mine

IF this was intentional; that would be my guess.

Apologies to Mr. Bostian in advance if I'm in a rush to judgement ; but if you are holding people's lives 'in your hands' , so to speak--- you'd darn well better not be doing anything stupid !
When power lines need repairing/replacing-- the ones shutting down electricity in those lines also hold lives in their hands. How is flying a plane or being a train conductor any different ?

My only other guess would be that he was doing something else and became distracted. Is there any way to tell if he left his post ? And I'm assuming he was the only one in the front two cars which appear to have uncoupled from the worst part of the wreck.
Just thinking out loud.
:moo:

 

[jjenny]

The train rapidly accelerated a short time prior to the crash. Then in the last second an emergency break was applied.
I don't see how being distracted and doing something else fits into this scenario. If he wad simply distracted, why did train accelerate? It's not like the train was going fast and failed to slow down for the curve. It was going at 70 mph and accelerated to over a 100 mph a shot time prior to the crash.

 

[AliceInPain]

Travelled by train since little, always thought one of the safest ways to travel... still do.
Sad... RIP to the people who died, and thoughts to those who never expected this to happen this ordinary day on this ordinary train... Just crazy...
=/

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Wolf Blitzer (CNN) started his 1:00 newscast with comments about Bostian's internet postings re: train safety. Seems that BB's "rants" are of interest to many folks following the case. Did the 32-year-old engineer have an agenda?

 

[Hatfield]

Wolf Blitzer (CNN) started his 1:00 newscast with comments about Bostian's internet postings re: train safety. Seems that BB's "rants" are of interest to many folks following the case. Did the 32-year-old engineer have an agenda?

Just speculating...
Its possible I suppose. IF he did something like that, then my only question is why would he go ahead and hit the breaks right before the crash?

Maybe he wanted to show how a train could be going way too fast around that curve and maybe he didnt expect for it to flip over?

 

[Hatfield]

This is another scary thought and more speculating.

What if he was told that the new "PTC system" was already in place on that track and he was doing his own testing of it?

I have seen 1 report that said the new PTC system was installed and turned on for an adjacent track near that track. For the track he was on, I heard where it was installed and not turned on.

There is no telling right now what is true but what if he was told the system was in place and he took it upon himself to test it out?
Maybe he had no intention of wrecking the train but since he understood the system to be working in the area maybe he decided to test it?

If he was doing something like that, it seems he would have known it was not working once he hit about 80-90 so not sure of this theory but just wanted to throw it out here since its all speculating right now.