Train derailed outside of Philadelphia

originally posted by: Martin75
a reply to: jaffo

There was ANOTHER train that had something thrown at it. Are they saying this train did also? There is a link above by Stormdancer77.

There are TWO different train incidents in Philly, only 1 crash.

Sorry, this is what I have now locally: www.phillymag.com...

Thank you for the link!

originally posted by: jaffo
I'm here in Jersey just across the river and local sources are reporting that "something" was launched or thrown at the tracks/train just before the derailment. . .

No, the report is a commuter train was struck by some type of projectile @ 20 minutes before the crash. The AMTRAK train wasn't struck by anything.

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: jaffo
I'm here in Jersey just across the river and local sources are reporting that "something" was launched or thrown at the tracks/train just before the derailment. . .

No, the report is a commuter train was struck by some type of projectile @ 20 minutes before the crash. The AMTRAK train wasn't struck by anything.

Ok, thanks. There is so much flying around out here right now!

originally posted by: jaffo

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: jaffo
I'm here in Jersey just across the river and local sources are reporting that "something" was launched or thrown at the tracks/train just before the derailment. . .

No, the report is a commuter train was struck by some type of projectile @ 20 minutes before the crash. The AMTRAK train wasn't struck by anything.

Ok, thanks. There is so much flying around out here right now!

Various sources say excessive speed was the cause, which damage to the cars and where they ended up supports this. They've found the black boxes, now we'll have to see if it was operator error, compute error, or both. Either way the train should have taken that curve at a much slower speed.

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: jaffo

originally posted by: UnBreakable

originally posted by: jaffo
I'm here in Jersey just across the river and local sources are reporting that "something" was launched or thrown at the tracks/train just before the derailment. . .

No, the report is a commuter train was struck by some type of projectile @ 20 minutes before the crash. The AMTRAK train wasn't struck by anything.

Ok, thanks. There is so much flying around out here right now!

Various sources say excessive speed was the cause, which damage to the cars and where they ended up supports this. They've found the black boxes, now we'll have to see if it was operator error, compute error, or both. Either way the train should have taken that curve at a much slower speed.

Still, that doesn't address the question of what hit that train, right?

originally posted by: retiredTxn

originally posted by: UnBreakable

The track around there is not elevated much. If I had to bet, the engineer was most likely texting or talking on his phone and missed the signal to slow down. Speed was definetly a factor.

I was just watching the news, and Fox and CNN are saying the train was traveling at or above 100 mph. In addition, there is a new computer system in place to override any failure by engineer to slow down to approved speeds. Neither engineer or computer system worked as planned.

I wanna make a comment to both of your guys posts..

Unbreakable..
There is no use of a phone allowed in the engine area of a train.. BNSF has some trains that detect that there is a phone on when you enter an engine.. I am sure most rail places have this rule.. No txting, internet, or phone allowed to be in use while operating a train..
I would guess this is not the cause... because most railroaders don't use a phone while on the engine... Because they will get fired for it..

The computer system.. Also BNSF is beta testing this out.. There is an area where I live where the train rides down a main road in the town where I work.. They have been testing the use of this GPS run trains for a little while.. I have brought up since the rail is on the road and cars can drive on the rail in a residential area what happens if a car stops there and nobody is around to look to see if the train needs to stop.. So far as far as I knew they don't have this tech in service now..

But all in all we will have to wait and see what the deal is.. For now I will blame the tractor trailer for this incident.. I am sure they heard the train coming...

a reply to: UnBreakable

It would be difficult to tell what the super elevation is, if any, from the photos and videos. You would need to be trackside or have access to the track geometry schematics.

a reply to: UnBreakable

It would be difficult to tell what the super elevation is, if any, from the photos and videos. You would need to be trackside or have access to the track geometry schematics.

Philly.com reports speeding

www.philly.com...

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: UnBreakable

It would be difficult to tell what the super elevation is, if any, from the photos and videos. You would need to be trackside or have access to the track geometry schematics.

I've seen that section of track before. I live in the area. It's not elevated. In fact, I just heard a report (can't vouch for the validity) that the train was going in excess of 100 mph. in a 50 mph zone.

a reply to: ThichHeaded

Ok, wasn't aware of the rules. I was just speculating, only because a few years ago a tugboat captain pushing a barge ran over a tourist 'duckboat' here in Philly on the Delaware river. It was found he was on his phone, not paying attention, not paying attention to river traffic.

originally posted by: UnBreakable
a reply to: ThichHeaded

Ok, wasn't aware of the rules. I was just speculating, only because a few years ago a tugboat captain pushing a barge ran over a tourist 'duckboat' here in Philly on the Delaware river. It was found he was on his phone, not paying attention, not paying attention to river traffic.

Yea it's not as if it's a far out idea, but probably not what happened.. I am in shock that any sort of Large metal heavy as heck vehicle pilot would ever give less than full attention.. I see it happen, but for me.. I can't even want to be responsible for stepping on my cat, let alone running someone down in a boat or car..

So this train looks like over 100mph in a 50 or 55 zone is this what I am seeing???

Passengers noticing lights flickering? Power off and on??

Could some hack or physical energy surge.. Something get in and override the train.. Make it speed into a known danger spot?

Obviously this could be normal and nothing terrorism or ww3 related, but just exploring..


The conductor is alive right? and with the Black Box.. I think we should get all the data we need this time, and I also think this was probably just some accident, unless the conductor called for help.. He didn't call for help did he, as he sped into that turn??

a reply to: Aleister

I watched the video of the accident. If you know a thing or two about driving, blue can bee the hardest color to see when the sun is high in the sky. The tractor trailer was painted blue, so I don't think it was the crew's fault in any way (I'm sure Amtrak will probably try to still blame it on the crew if they can). If it would have been ANY other color, it would have been easier to see, but at that speed it still would have been very difficult to stop the train.

Edit: I think it did sound like excessive speed. Even if the engineer was going the Federal Railroad Authority proper recommended speed, the conditions with the coloring of the trailer may have prevented the engineer from stopping the train in time. It is not impossible for Amtrak to "say" it was going that fast, when the truth may be less speed. 110 is VERY fast for a train, if that info is true. The FRA better get those black boxes off of the train!

The reason I know that blue is harder to see is because it blends so well with the sky which is also blue. I got in a wreck one day with a sky-blue car that was going about 35 in a 25 one day that I didn't see coming at me.

Knowing the above facts makes me wonder if this was intentional. To all crew out there that work for ANY train company, be as watchful as you can at ALL times! It's sad to read stories about these types of events. I hope that the injured that are still alive are able to recover. I doubt they'll ever take a train ride in their lives ever again. Some of them might even get PTSD from this.

a reply to: InFriNiTee

Are you saying a Truck was placed on the tracks??
I must have missed it. I'm not exactly awake just yet.

Funny I type that in to find this new story, and I find from March 9th of this year an Amtrack train derailed in North Carolina headed towards... dun dun dun Philly.. It hit a Tractor Trailer and derailed.. There was another train crash in California in February.. Also a tractor trailer..

a reply to: KnightLight

If that happened you won't hear about it in the MSM.
And it would be fiercely fought against in the Alternate media (like here)

That would basically be the end of train travel in the USA.. and we can't have that.

EDIT: i'm referring to your hack hypothesis

a reply to: KnightLight

Just heard another local report here that the engineer is not talking and has lawyered up. Also, I'm talking like a layman here (I don't know the technical aspects of the computer speeding controls) that the computer layout of controlling speed on that particular section of route hasn't been completed yet for that area, was supposedly targeted for end of the year, so manual control was needed. Also a woman passenger said she was concerned before the crash, she was feeling the train accelerating in a non-rural, curving stretch of track. I wonder if the engineer dozed off.

a reply to: UnBreakable

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Stormdancer777

Thanks Stormdancer, that train was flying.

Do you have any on the 'reported squealing' noise that some passengers heard in another train as the train passed them?

Looks like this might have been a trunk line judging from the number of tracks making the corner.
Hope they get it cleaned up quickly so it doesn't mess things up like the steel strike of 1959 did.

originally posted by: Xarian6
a reply to: KnightLight

If that happened you won't hear about it in the MSM.
And it would be fiercely fought against in the Alternate media (like here)

That would basically be the end of train travel in the USA.. and we can't have that.

EDIT: i'm referring to your hack hypothesis

Right yea I gotcha.
Had to read it twice but I gotcha.

I am arguing both sides though.. I'm strange like that.. I find it helps me choose what I think the truth is much more accurately.

Without knowing why the train was going so fast I can't really go anywhere further than leaning towards an accident. Leaning slightly..