WA - Amtrak passenger train derails near Tacoma

[Jax49]

KATU News‏Verified account
@KATUNews
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Animation of how the #Amtrak train derailed near DuPont yesterday, from @ABC #LiveOnK2

https://twitter.com/KATUNews/status/943224181981790208

So scary. A miracle many more were not killed...

moo

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

I vowed I would never travel by train again for long trips.....in the middle of the night that train was going so fast that I bounced all over the cabin.....

Startling really....

 

[PaulR]

Hadn't heard this I also wonder about the conditions of those who are hospitalized.

We only have one Level 1 Trauma Center, UW Harborview in Seattle, right now they have three patients. Those would be the ones I would be most worried about, though they are in excellent hands.

 

[TeaTime]

I just heard on the news but didn't catch the whole story the following:

"One of the engineers was distracted by another employee at the time of the accident." SMH

It may have been FOX news, I am walking around doing Christmas things and flipping channels.

Please don't let this be 2 employees having a 'moment'.

 

[Spellbound]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...ngineer-deadly-washington-train-crash-n831341

[FONT=&quot]A conductor was in the cab with the train engineer before a [/FONT]deadly derailment in Washington state[FONT=&quot] — and the train’s brakes engaged automatically and not due to any human actions, a federal transportation board member said Tuesday[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
A conductor "who was getting experience and familiarizing himself with the territory" was in the cab with the engineer, she said, while the train's actual conductor was in the passenger area. Being familiar with the territory is one of the duties of the conductor, she said.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"As far as exactly what they were doing, we will be talking with them and finding that out," Dinh-Zarr said. It is standard protocol at the NTSB to look at all of the cell phone records of all the crew members after an accident, she said.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Data recorders have been recovered from the rear and lead locomotives, Dinh-Zarr said. The lead engine’s inward and outward facing cameras have also been recovered but “they were, unfortunately, significantly damaged[/FONT].

 

[MaryG12]

80 mph in a 30 mph zone, what could possibly go wrong?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amtrak-train-derailed-faster-route-drew-concern-222207709.html

The absolute worst thing here is this:

This was totally preventable.

 

[MaryG12]

KATU News‏Verified account
@KATUNews
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Animation of how the #Amtrak train derailed near DuPont yesterday, from @ABC #LiveOnK2

https://twitter.com/KATUNews/status/943224181981790208

Oh Wow.

Never been on a train before, really no need to go on one either.

 

[Gardenista]

Best way to travel IMO

Oh Wow.

Never been on a train before, really no need to go on one either.

 

[Jennifer17]

Oh Wow.

Never been on a train before, really no need to go on one either.

Yeah? I love train travel. It is much safer than road travel. I have done the Washington DC to New York train trip and I loved it.

 

[Inthedetails]

Best way to travel IMO

I agree with you!

 

[AlwaysShocked]

This is mindboggling! The engineer was not in the locomotive driving the train? Only a new conducter-in-training was in the locomotive as the train approached a 30 mph curve at 80 mph?

Wow. Just wow. This must be what the NTSB meant when they wrote in their recently released report that Amtrak is extremely lackadaisical about safety issues? I'm just guessing but I would think there is supposed to be a qualified engineer driving the train at all times.

 

[Jax49]

This is mindboggling! The engineer was not in the locomotive driving the train? Only a new conducter-in-training was in the locomotive as the train approached a 30 mph curve at 80 mph?

Wow. Just wow. This must be what the NTSB meant when they wrote in their recently released report that Amtrak is extremely lackadaisical about safety issues? I'm just guessing but I would think there is supposed to be a qualified engineer driving the train at all times.

The conductor and engineer were both in the locomotive. The suggestion has been made that the engineer may have been distracted. moo

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...ngineer-deadly-washington-train-crash-n831341

Amtrak Derailment: Conductor was in cab with engineer before deadly Washington train crash

 

[Spellbound]

The conductor and engineer were both in the locomotive. The suggestion has been made that the engineer may have been distracted. moo

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...ngineer-deadly-washington-train-crash-n831341

Amtrak Derailment: Conductor was in cab with engineer before deadly Washington train crash

just adding a bit to your quote here.

A conductor "who was getting experience and familiarizing himself with the territory" was in the cab with the engineer, she said, while the train's actual conductor was in the passenger area. Being familiar with the territory is one of the duties of the conductor, she said.

 

[abstr]

Just for info. the engineer is responsible for the safety/driving of the train. The conductor is for overall operations. The engineer is the "driver" so not out of the realm that the conductor would be moving about the train.Edited to add...seems like whatever the title they weren't on the ball, so to speak.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Amtrak crash kills two train enthusiasts
Both were avid rail advocates, friends say
By MADISON PARK , CNN

(CNN) - Two friends, Jim Hamre and Zack Willhoite, loved to ride trains. So it was no surprise that they decided to go on the inaugural run of Amtrak Cascades 501 when the new service opened.

The two men along with a third victim, were killed when the train derailed Monday, near Tacoma, Washington. The third person has not been identified yet.

Hamre and Willhoite were train enthusiasts who had both worked in the transportation industry. The two had recently returned from a trip to Germany, where they had taken a train around the country, CNN affiliate KIRO reported...

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/amtrak-crash-kills-two-train-enthusiasts

 

[Inthedetails]

Just for info. the engineer is responsible for the safety/driving of the train. The conductor is for overall operations. The engineer is the "driver" so not out of the realm that the conductor would be moving about the train.Edited to add...seems like whatever the title they weren't on the ball, so to speak.

RIght. The conductors don't drive the train. When you ride the train and someone comes to collect your ticket, that's a conductor. They do other things too, but they aren't driving.

 

[Spellbound]

Amtrak crash kills two train enthusiasts
Both were avid rail advocates, friends say
By MADISON PARK , CNN

(CNN) - Two friends, Jim Hamre and Zack Willhoite, loved to ride trains. So it was no surprise that they decided to go on the inaugural run of Amtrak Cascades 501 when the new service opened.

The two men along with a third victim, were killed when the train derailed Monday, near Tacoma, Washington. The third person has not been identified yet.

Hamre and Willhoite were train enthusiasts who had both worked in the transportation industry. The two had recently returned from a trip to Germany, where they had taken a train around the country, CNN affiliate KIRO reported...

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/amtrak-crash-kills-two-train-enthusiasts

I wonder if these are both the friends of a friend to our ellabella. No word on the third person who died, that I have found.
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...n-derails-near-Tacoma&p=13822565#post13822565

hugs to your ellabella. and a prayer for your friend. I am really sad for all affected, and most especially for those who lost a loved one (and during what should be holiday celebrations).

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

^ I thought of that immediately as I read the article.

 

[bronk4]

I'm really surprised that there were only 3 deaths! And no one on the road got killed!

Marking my spot!

I was thinking the same--especially with the way some of the cars went over the bridge--and on the road!

 

[Jax49]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...o-remove-derailed-amtrak-locomotive-from-i-5/

No firm timeline for I-5 reopening as workers use special equipment to remove derailed Amtrak locomotive

The lone remaining piece of the derailed Amtrak train, which weighs more than 270,000 pounds, was to be hauled away on a specialized trailer, officials said. It's unclear when southbound Interstate 5 would reopen.