Derailment of Cascades #501, DuPont WA, 2017-12-18

[Lonestar648]

I have reviewing the photos, finding that it is odd that the track is totally in place instead fully torn up. Also, looking at the destroyed signal tower the engine must have left the track before the curve. Of course we have have to wait for the NTSB, but a couple things I notice from the photos now being posted.

 

[niemi24s]

Judging from this image... https://imgur.com/pHGyhbj ... the second linked image in Post #102, it appears to me that the lead locomotive was completely off the tracks some distance before the beginning of the curve.

Edit: Appearances can be deceiving, so disregard the above and refer to Post #`197

 

[frequentflyer]

 

[frequentflyer]

I take it the Charger will be rerailed and sent to Sacromento for a complete rebuild?

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Yeah. It also impacted something head on, and I don't see anything apparent in its path that could have been the cause.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

More likely, it will just be scrapped.

 

[Bierboy]

Judging from this image... https://imgur.com/pHGyhbj ... the second linked image in Post #102, it appears to me that the lead locomotive was completely off the tracks some distance before the beginning of the curve.

Broken link...

 

[Bierboy]

This article seems to indicate there is a challenge for the engineer to decelerate from 79 mph to 30 mph in that area...along with some previous complaints from the engineers

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/train-derails-from-bridge-onto-interstate-5-near-olympia/

 

[Lonestar648]

Not knowing the scale of the photos, I would guess about 1000 feet before the curve,

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I wouldn't place too much stock in that particular article.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

NPR radio has audio from the dispatcher.

Two people in cab.

Not for everyone to listen to. Drama is a understatement.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/18/571654675/amtrak-train-derails-on-overpass-in-washington-causing-multiple-fatalities

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I take it the Charger will be rerailed and sent to Sacromento for a complete rebuild?

I'd expect to see it moved out of the way and then stored in its current state for several months if not years.

 

[frequentflyer]

More likely, it will just be scrapped.

Couldn't they just put on a new body? The Frame could be toast I guess. Who is doing maintenance for Northwest Chargers?

 

[The Chief]

Amtrak official at onsite press conference DuPont on FOX FNC Neil Cavuto hour identified herself as Gay Banks Olson, Asst Supt Operations.

Then when talking of consist referred to Charger loco, and a "P-52" loco.

Guess she was confused.

 

[s10mk]

I have reviewing the photos, finding that it is odd that the track is totally in place instead fully torn up. Also, looking at the destroyed signal tower the engine must have left the track before the curve. Of course we have have to wait for the NTSB, but a couple things I notice from the photos now being posted.

Where was there a signal tower.

 

[Lonestar648]

I saw what I believed used to be one on the right.

 

[KmH]

The front of the locomotive leveled several pretty stout trees before it came to rest and it looks to me that it came off the tracks at the start of the curve.

There is no foreign (truck) debris is the photo in post #141

Since the train was apparently clocked at 81.1 mph just before the curve I wonder if the tracks have a slight downgrade approaching the curve.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Are, what appears to be, orange spray paint markings, like "A" and "B1", part of the recue operations? Or of some preliminary accident reconstruction?

 

[caravanman]

Gosh... nothing is going to get around that curve in post 141 at 80mph... :-(

 

[Rover]

Is there a link to listen to the Amtrak Media conference call (not the NTSB one)?

Has it been officially confirmed that the engineer survived the derailment?

 

[Bierboy]

The front of the locomotive leveled several pretty stout trees before it came to rest and it looks to me that it came off the tracks at the start of the curve.

There is no foreign (truck) debris is the photo in post #141

Since the train was apparently clocked at 81.1 mph just before the curve I wonder if the tracks have a slight downgrade approaching the curve.

The article from the Seattle Times that I posted did say there is a downgrade...

"...In this stretch of track, a train engineer faces the challenge of decelerating in a short space, when approaching the curve and bypass, said John Hiatt, a longtime private investigator in train safety disputes. A downward grade coming into that curve, you’ve got that working against you. You’ve got to make a pretty good estimate of how to get that down from 81 to 30,” Hiatt said of the track, located near Mounts Road outside of DuPont. “From what I’ve heard, there were several complaints by engineers about this.”

 

[tomfuller]

Is there a link to listen to the Amtrak Media conference call (not the NTSB one)?

Has it been officially confirmed that the engineer survived the derailment?

The lead engine hit a big tree about 10 to 15 feet off the ground and broke off a fork of the tree. From the radio traffic, the engineer had his eyes swollen shut andwas bleeding from his head.

The names of all passengers onboard should be on the conductors unit. to be compared with hospital and ambulance records. I hope they are not waiting for the NTSB to

recover bodies from train cars.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

77 people taken to hospitals, 6 fatalities. That's 85 people.

The nature of distance perspective distortion sharpens that curve in ones eye. I checked that radius on a map; I could go around such a curve on asphalt in my van, a Mercedes Metris (aka Vito), at 80 mph. In fact, I do so regularly.

I am not saying that a train can, but that curve is not quite sharp enough for the almost tangential and level path the locomotive took to it.

 

[Karl1459]

77 people taken to hospitals, 6 fatalities. That's 85 people.

The nature of distance perspective distortion sharpens that curve in ones eye. I checked that radius on a map; I could go around such a curve on asphalt in my van, a Mercedes Metris (aka Vito).

I am not saying that a train can, but that curve is not quite sharp enough for the almost tangential and level path the locomotive took to it.

There were several people injured in motor vehicles who happened to be on I-5.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Are, what appears to be, orange spray paint markings, like "A" and "B1", part of the recue operations? Or of some preliminary accident reconstruction?

Yes part of the rescue operations. Command and Control. (We need a resource to car C).

Each car would have a team assigned. If the officer needs additional resources (s)he call the command with what is need and where its need. Also useful to Clear the car so additional resources are going to where there needed.

During Hurricane the search teams mark doors of the house to indicate they have check the buildings.