Auto train derailment south of Deland 3/26

[ET2020]

Yes, and with fatalities .

Derailment of Amtrak Auto Train P052-18 on the CSXT Railroad Near Crescent City, Florida April 18, 2002

"The train derailed in a left-hand curve while traveling about 56 mph. The train was carrying 413 passengers and 33 Amtrak employees. The derailment resulted in 4 fatalities, 36 serious injuries, and 106 minor injuries. The equipment and track costs associated with the accident totaled about $8.3 million."

Thanks for sharing.
Yikes

 

[Ryan]

Does anyone know how they unloaded the auto carriers in Sanford? Did they drive autos in reverse through the carrier?

NO. Straight forward.

You know this for a fact? Because they showed up facing the wrong direction.

 

[OBS]

You know this for a fact? Because they showed up facing the wrong direction.

It was my experience in this type of situation, they were backed out....

 

[Qapla]

Any word on how much damage to the cars on the one that derailed?

 

[jiml]

Snowbird migration. The southbound is empty (1-or-2 diner seatings) and northbound FULL (4 dinner seatings)...been on both. The Villages empty this time of year. All those old folk are returning to NY & NJ, COVID-19 Ground Zero!. As to why the top of the highest risk group would go back there is beyond me when they're in a safe gated Florida community.

I can't speak for those in NY & NJ, but Canadian snowbirds were "encouraged" to return early under threat of cancellation of our health insurance.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I can't speak for those in NY & NJ, but Canadian snowbirds were "encouraged" to return early under threat of cancellation of our health insurance.

Lots of Americans dont have any!

 

[Qapla]

I guess they got the tracks repaired ... I see #52 is running today and it looks to be on the normal tracks through Palatka to Jax

 

[jiml]

Lots of Americans dont have any!

I know... have lots of American friends. We actually have to buy it for travel in US and it ain't cheap anymore. The insurance companies here colluded and figured they could get out of existing contracts because of Covid19. That meant even a broken leg or car accident injury wouldn't be covered - a powerful incentive to head home early.

 

[jiml]

Yes, and with fatalities .

Derailment of Amtrak Auto Train P052-18 on the CSXT Railroad Near Crescent City, Florida April 18, 2002

"The train derailed in a left-hand curve while traveling about 56 mph. The train was carrying 413 passengers and 33 Amtrak employees. The derailment resulted in 4 fatalities, 36 serious injuries, and 106 minor injuries. The equipment and track costs associated with the accident totaled about $8.3 million."

At least not the case this time!

 

[Bob Dylan]

I know... have lots of American friends. We actually have to buy it for travel in US and it ain't cheap anymore. The insurance companies here colluded and figured they could get out of existing contracts because of Covid19. That meant even a broken leg or car accident injury wouldn't be covered - a powerful incentive to head home early.

Job #1 for Insurance Companies: Take your Money and find a way to NOT Pay Claims!!

 

[Tom in PA]

What happened to the passenger car portion of the train? Did it eventually proceed to Lorton? Or on to Union Station in DC where they would have better ground transportation?

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

What happened to the passenger car portion of the train? Did it eventually proceed to Lorton? Or on to Union Station in DC where they would have better ground transportation?

It continued to Lorton.

 

[BLNT]

That is really odd. When I went to Train Status on Amtrak.com...it says 52 & 53 are cancelled BOTH DIRECTIONS ?!?!?

Just came across the thread. WOW

The trip that I cancelled very recently (and spoke about on another thread) was the 3/27 northbound.

Had I kept that trip, it would have been another feather in my Amtrak cap (to add to the 12 hour delay we had on our first trip last year).

WHEW !

 

[Skyline]

Job #1 for Insurance Companies: Take your Money and find a way to NOT Pay Claims!!

It's why a Public Option in the USA is needed.

 

[ET2020]

I can't speak for those in NY & NJ, but Canadian snowbirds were "encouraged" to return early under threat of cancellation of our health insurance.

Hey jiml !
How/Why would they cancel your health insurance?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Hey jiml !
How/Why would they cancel your health insurance?

By refusing to continue coverage under the Small Print Weasel exceptions about unforeseen circumstances,Acts of God etc etc etc.

"..First we kill the Lawyers!.."

 

[WalterIII]

Fortunately this weeks derailment was relatively minor, as such things go. I talked with a friend of mine who had some inside information, and provided the following update to some friends of mine yesterday as follows:

• Appears it was a track issue / sun kink (or track defect), but no official cause yet
• Train was doing 40 MPH when it went into emergency
• Derailment occurred south of the De Land Amtrak station
• That track is owned and maintained by SunRail, though they do not operate on that section between De Bary and De Land
  • Apparently CSXT had to help out as SunRail had no protocol in place or contacts to bring in Hulcher (or what-ever crane / re-railer service they brought in)
• 10 carriers derailed, 2 upright, 8 on their sides
• There were 90 vehicles on the 10 cars, and these included the passengers who paid the priority loading premium.
• Amtrak had 90 rentals at Lorton upon 52’s arrival the next day, and big $$$ in vouchers etc. for the passengers, plus Amtrak reps, Amtrak police and some EMS (just in case)
• All told, 28 rail cars arrived Lorton, believe 17 superliners and 11 auto carriers, so they had 21 carriers on departure (assuming the two upright cars were left behind, and the 28 count at Lorton is correct)

Apart from the Crescent City wreck in 2002 I do not recall any major Amtrak Auto Train derailment; perhaps a few minor ones similar to this weeks. I am sure someone could elaborate on that. The original Auto-Train Corporation had several major wrecks from1971-1981.

As for Crescent City, here is the damage list of the superliners: @=scrapped, *=wrecked/out of service and returned to service in 2003 or later (list is from Amtrak Superliner):

04/18/02 - train 52 Crescent City FL - sleepers 32074 - 32084 - *32090 - @32100 (New York), Deluxe sleepers *32501 - 32502 - *32503, AT Lounges *33100 - 33101, coaches *34120 - @34125 - @34126 - *34129, diners 38052 - *38054. Cars with no indicator likely returned to service in 2002, not sure when 32502 and 32503 returned.

The list is not in standing order. Trans-dorm 39002 was the lead car and not in above list. If it derailed it was upright, and as I recall the lead sleeper was derailed but upright (and perhaps another, leaning), then the following sleepers and 1st class lounge and diner were on their sides, followed by a general pileup (the three cars which were scrapped were in the middle of that). I had been at that exact spot photographing 52 twice before that wreck (pre-superliner) and had parked where the general pileup occurred.

32501 Palm Beach was not returned to service until March of 2011, after $2.1M of repairs funded by the stimulus package back then.

32501 Palm Beach after wreck


32501 Palm Beach May 2011 at National Train Day Tampa Union Station (early AM before crowds), same side, after rebuild and $2.1M:

 

[railiner]

Fortunately this weeks derailment was relatively minor, as such things go. I talked with a friend of mine who had some inside information, and provided the following update to some friends of mine yesterday as follows:

• 
  
• Amtrak had 90 rentals at Lorton upon 52’s arrival the next day, and big $$$ in vouchers etc. for the passengers, plus Amtrak reps, Amtrak police and some EMS (just in case)

Interesting report...thanks for posting. One item that got my curiosity, was that Amtrak police were brought in. I wonder where they were sent from? I suppose Washington? And if it had happened the other way, in Sanford, where would they come from?

 

[user 15597]

Snowbird migration. The southbound is empty (1-or-2 diner seatings) and northbound FULL (4 dinner seatings)...been on both. The Villages empty this time of year. All those old folk are returning to NY & NJ, COVID-19 Ground Zero!. As to why the top of the highest risk group would go back there is beyond me when they're in a safe gated Florida community.

They rent, they have family in the north and feel safer...We, however, cancelled our reservation and will stay in Florida until it is safe to head north.

 

[pennyk]

The Villages empty this time of year. All those old folk are returning to NY & NJ, COVID-19 Ground Zero!. As to why the top of the highest risk group would go back there is beyond me when they're in a safe gated Florida community.

The Villages now has 35 cases of coronavirus.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/cor...u3suejfybarbi7czwl7jyh4ky-story.html#nws=true

 

[Thirdrail7]

When is the next time you'll get a chance to see the northbound Auto train passing through your backyard? It may not happen again for years. It may be worth setting an alarm and grabbing some shots.

So much for years.

I wish I would have known .... I could have watched it pass when it went thru Waldo

It doesn't go thru Gainesville, it heads south out of Waldo and the tracks go thru Ocala

You may have your shot pretty soon.

I am now wide awake, but thrilled to have seen the Auto Train in Orlando, right down the street from where I live.

Well, you took northbound pictures. How do southbound pictures grab you?


Monitoring.........

 

[pennyk]

So much for years.



You may have your shot pretty soon.



Well, you took northbound pictures. How do southbound pictures grab you?


Monitoring.........

WOW WOW WOW WOW. Hopefully it will be earlier than 10:47pm like the nortbound train. At the rate the AT was traveling the other day, I think it should take about 10 minutes to reach my crossing from WPK. I am guessing 30-40 minutes from SFA.
My great nephew's virtual first birthday party on zoom is at 5pm. I hope I do not have to make a decision (or maybe the autotrain can join the birthday party).
Thanks. I will monitor your monitoring.

 

[OBS]

Interesting report...thanks for posting. One item that got my curiosity, was that Amtrak police were brought in. I wonder where they were sent from? I suppose Washington? And if it had happened the other way, in Sanford, where would they come from?

They have come from Wash DC in the past when needed....
For SFA, I don't know where they are even based...Mia? Orl? Jax?

 

[suraider]

Holy Crap!
Has the Auto Train ever had a derailment before??
I've been tracking the departure/arrival times, as we plan to join the snowbird crowd next year.
When I saw that NB & SB trains were cancelled, I knew something unusual was up.
Now the wife has a reason to fear the train; she already fears air travel - Aye Yai Yai !

Not sure about the year, but I do recall an incident in the past. I think this was minor compared to that incident. Others might add to these details. Besides that, my wife (who refuses to fly) and I have traveled the auto train many times without incidents. Only once we were delayed big time because a CSX train hit a stalled truck on the tracks. We could have driven back to PA the time it took us to get to Lorton. I do recommend a roomette or full room and priority loading for your vehicle.

 

[ET2020]

Not sure about the year, but I do recall an incident in the past. I think this was minor compared to that incident. Others might add to these details. Besides that, my wife (who refuses to fly) and I have traveled the auto train many times without incidents. Only once we were delayed big time because a CSX train hit a stalled truck on the tracks. We could have driven back to PA the time it took us to get to Lorton. I do recommend a roomette or full room and priority loading for your vehicle.

Thanks - yeah we're booked southbound next January, waiting for Disney (DVC) to finalize plans before we book our northbound return. Looks like Feb.3,2021 is the best fare for returning in February, but I will track the costs into early March before committing.