The Amtrak train derailed Monday, December 18, near Seattle, Washington, was traveling at a speed of 80 miles per hour on the section of track where the movement is limited to thirty miles. This violation was reported by T. bell DIN-zarr, Board member of the security Council for transport
According to T. Bella Dean-dharr, it is hard to talk about why the train was moving with such speed. However, the investigation team arrived in DuPont on Monday now puts forward several versions of what happened.
The Amtrak Cascades train 501 was making his first trip between the cities of Seattle and Portland via a new route, when most of the cars came off the rails, bringing down several of them on the overpass just at rush hour on the road.
“We felt a jolt and after a few seconds he felt a tugging at the car, as if pushed by something and we were on the opposite seats,” says one of the passengers, Chris Carnes in an interview with CNN.
Latest assumptions and versions:
- The investigators were able to obtain information on the speed of the first train (with data logger), but to get the same data from the last wagon was much more difficult, said T. Bella Dean-dharr.
- The engineer of the train was not even questioned, but the investigation is hoping to interview all involved in the next two days.
- Amtrak President and Co-CEO Richard Andersen said that “positive train control” has not been activated when the train came off the rails. This technology allows to automatically slow the train and stop it, if the speed exceeded the allowable limit.
- The function of speed reduction was in train, but has not yet been applied. It was planned to be operational in late spring of 2018, said Geoff Patrick, Sound Transit speaker.
- More than 100 people were taken to hospitals in counties of pierce and Thurston. 10 people were seriously injured, one fighting for his life at the medical center Harborview in Seattle.
The train went along a new route at 6 a.m. Monday and made two stops before the crash. At 7:40 a.m. it came off the rails in DuPont, which is 20 miles South to Tacoma.
Most likely, the train came off the rails, turning. The cars fell randomly on both sides of the road, and several of them fell on the road at the bottom of the overpass, another car hanging over the highway.
According to the Sheriff, drivers in cars on the road were affected. Some cars suffered, as the drivers in them, but fortunately, was not among them cases with a fatal outcome.
Amtrak trains South of Seattle, was suspended. Trains to the North and East of Seattle go in the usual way. The investigation continues and there is no definitive conclusion about the cause of the disaster.
