CSX Train Kills Two in Maryland

[MrFSS]

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. -Two 19-year-old women have died in a massive train derailment in Ellicott City that also crushed several vehicles and closed the main streets of the town.

FULL STORY

 

[The Davy Crockett]

From my understanding, at this point it is believed that the girls were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If this turns out to be the case, sad. Very sad.

 

[Ryan]

I've heard them described as being "on the bridge", which isn't a shared pedestrian bridge.

I wonder if the engineer going into emergency was a contributing factor to the derailment.

 

[Alice]

More details are in this AP story.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Ugh, this is why I keep saying to do something about these derailments! My condolences for all involved.

Now seriously, why did this train derail?

 

[DET63]

Howard County detectives said it appeared the girls were sitting on the ledge of the bridge over Main Street facing east with their backs to the side of the train as it passed a few feet behind them.
When the train derailed, the open cars filled with coal tipped over, burying Nass and Mayr under the coal as it fell, as WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team lead investigative reporter Jayne Miller first reported.

Source

 

[DET63]

Facebook page for the victims. Quite a few discussions of safety around railroad tracks.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

From my understanding, at this point it is believed that the girls were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. If this turns out to be the case, sad. Very sad.

Looks like what I heard was right...

Here is a link to the NTSB report on the accident.

From the report:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the Ellicott City derailment was a broken rail with evidence of rolling contact fatigue.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Broken rail? Any way to prevent that?