Amtrak Derailment Philadelphia (5/12/2015)

[SarahZ]

Thirded. Thoughts and prayers with the victims and first responders are sufficient for tonight. We'll get our answers as soon as they're available.

Ditto. That helicopter footage is making me shiver. I can't thank first responders and hospital personnel enough. I'm so glad there are people willing to do those jobs.

 

[Ryan]

More from FB:

 

[PRR 60]

What adds to the chill factor is that the location of this wreck is the exact location of the 1943 PRR Labor Day wreck. That was one of the worst accidents in USA rail history.

 

[spacecadet]

Position of the wreckage makes it look to me like it just had too much speed going around the curve. Locomotive just kept going off the track, first car hit something, following cars derailed and rolled until the train stopped.

Hope that first car was empty. Usually that's biz class and at this time of night might be pretty empty.

 

[PRR 60]

CSX says that there was no freight train involvement with this wreck.

 

[Ryan]

Or a problem with the rail - way too soon to tell.

Doesn't look likely that it was a freight collision, but way too soon for much of anything.

 

[AlexandriaVATraveler]

There's nothing we can do with the situation on the ground, so I'd like to ask what this will mean for operations in the short term (commuters, regional intercity, and LD) as well as rolling stock inventory.

 

[Paulus]

There are additional reports that a SEPTA train got blasted with something shortly before this derailment, with the engineer's cab glass smashed, and came to a halt before being passed by the Amtrak train which derailed.

 

[AlexandriaVATraveler]

There's nothing we can do with the situation on the ground, so I'd like to ask what this will mean for operations in the short term (commuters, regional intercity, and LD) as well as rolling stock inventory.

 

[jebr]

From Facebook:

Injuries reported in incident, all Amtrak service canceled this evening between New York and Philadelphia


This evening, Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188, operating from Washington to New York derailed north of Philadelphia. There were approximately 238 passengers and 5 crew members on board. Initial reports are that several passengers have been injured and taken to local medical facilities for treatment. Local emergency responders are on the scene and an investigation is ongoing.

Northeast Corridor service between New York and Philadelphia is suspended.

Additional updates will be provided when available.

 

[PRR 60]

This is a 60mph limited curve.

 

[George K]

CSX says that there was no freight train involvement with this wreck.

Actually, they said they have "no evidence" that there was freight involvement. That's a different statement.

 

[CHamilton]

The Chief, thanks for the map. Here's the Google view. You can see the pedestrian overpass in the helicopter video that's being broadcast.

https://goo.gl/maps/X9eHK

 

[jebr]

Just heard on CNN...5 confirmed dead.

 

[Ryan]

Press conference with Mayor confirms at lest 5 fatalities.

 

[George K]

Philadelphia officials (Mayor, police commissioner, homeland security) say 243 individuals on train. 5 dead. 7 cars and engine disrupted.

 

[Guest]

Officials just reported 5 dead. Preliminary.

 

[Guest]

Hmm, not sure what happened, since the first car didn't derail but did get damaged so it may not be a comnector issue. And seems to lean towards intentional sabotage of the trains.

 

[Ryan]

Hmm, not sure what happened,

Should have stopped there. The first car is definitely derailed.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Philadelphia Mayor just confirmed 5 Dead and 50+ transported for Serious injuries, broken bones, lacerations, bruises etc.

And thanks for the update Bill, as I said to Steve, its good to have info from those that know the territory and also railroads!

Hopefully no AU friends are among those injured or deceased!!!

 

[oiky]

At least we have some info there from the mayor and fire chief, I find the American news coverage so abrupt though, too much speculation also

 

[Guest]

I think you missed the point. The first car was upright and seemed to have seperated from the other cars but was banged up even if it technically was off the rails.

A combination of seperation of cars and locomotive along with the damage to the front car makes me think it was something other than just a fault with the tracks and my guess is sabotage based on what I have seen. If there was a track problem, cars would have all just derailed together. If car was speeding then there would have been a different pattern as well. Someone understood how to derail this train car and people were reporting something went on with another SEPTA train as well and it seems like someone wanted to block off the North eastern corridor. That is how I see it right now. Anyone else see it this way or see anything that they may add which couod have been overlooked. Information is still coming in.

 

[northnorthwest]

Terrible. After 11 years in the city I love Philly tremendously. They will do their best to take care of the injured.

Just took the Crescent from WAS to ATL last night into today. Life is infinitely complicated with "news" big and small happening everywhere every second. These events remind us to appreciate what we have now and not get caught up in all the small things, however difficult that can be. Take care, everybody.

 

[jis]

The location is just east (towards New York) of Shore interlocking where the NJT Atlantic City trains split off from the NEC.

 

[FormerOBS]

Much of the speculation from "legitimate" news media is incredibly inept. Reporter said a "window was clearly broken." No, it was an emergency exit window that had been removed. Self-appointed experts don't even know 188 was a northbound train. As I said, be careful what you believe. These reporters make yowling cats sound intelligent. There have been references to the Chase wreck, the Capitol/Marc wreck, the grade crossing accident in Amite, and probably others. I'm waiting for comments about the Hindenberg and Casey Jones. All totally irrelevant.

Tom