PJRACER
Service Attendant
Have any of the Amtrak Forum members been on a train involved in an accident......what are the chances???? To my way of thinking....it would be slim to none.....but like driving a car, one never knows.
Involved In Train Accidents
- Thread starter PJRACER
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
In 1995 I was on the westbound Sunset Limited when we clipped a semi hauling railroad ties in New Mexico. While no one was injured, at least not seriously, the truck's trailer was spun around like a child's toy and our brand new lead P42 took a nasty dent. And this all happened in the middle of the desert where the truck was driving a dirt service road parallel the tracks and actually tried to beat us out at a crossing! I was in line downstairs in the Sightseer waiting to buy a snack when we went into emergency and most of us ended up on the floor.
I still have video of this including a lengthy "discussion" between the Conductor and driver.
I still have video of this including a lengthy "discussion" between the Conductor and driver.
I was on #5, in Glenwood Canyon right B4 Christmas, I wanna say 1988(?) In the diner, chewing the fat with the crew, and another railfan, (all I remember is that he was an NFL referee) so scanners and radios were everywhere. As I recall, the diner was towards the rear of the train. (prolly just separating the coaches and sleepers like now)
I was going to take the Pioneer to Oregon, but we never made it out of the canyon. We heard the engineer YELL "...@#$^ BIG HOLE" which we all knew meant he'd just put the train into emergency.
A few seconds later it was bumpity-bumpity-bumpity over the RR ties, and then stop. Lights out (HEP became disconnected mid-train) We were kind of at a scary side-ways tip, with the rock wall to our left, and the Colorado River to our right, our VERY, VERY, CLOSE right. (it was magnified by angle that the Superliner was tipped. But I tell ya, it wasn't too far down to the river, and it was a pretty steep embankment. VERY similar to THIS PHOTO.
We could see the road across the river, or at least headlights, cause this happened after diner if I recall. And there we sat, for hours.
The D&RGW cobbled together a "rescue train" made up of existing cabooses, I mean it was a whole train of cabooses and flatcars, and camp cars. (cause they sent a crew in too) But it was daylight B4 that train backed towards us. I do remember that the cabooses had kerosene heaters, fired up for warmth, in them.
The most negative thing I remember was some STOOPID attorney-passenger going car-to-car, handing out his business cards. I followed him for three or four cars, and was telling people "DON'T TRUST THIS AMBULANCE CHASER" God I was pissed off.
NO ONE was injured as I recall. Shaken, scared, nervous, but that was about it. I'm sure someone "twisted an ankle" or something walking along the ballast from the Zephyr to the work train, but the D&RGW employees basically made a "tunnel" of employees to guide the pax to the cabooses.
When we got to Gleenwood Springs, we got on Motorcoaches, and headed back to Denver Union Station. There Amtrak personnel handed us CASH, and an airline ticket to our final destination.
For a railfan it was exciting, not too scary after things settled down, and very, very interesting.
That morning we rode the Motorcoaches back to Denver, we traveled the same highway we had seen across the river from the train, and saw the work train in the process of cleaning #5's cars from the track.
Almost ten years earlier to the day, I was leaving Aspen, CO on a GreyLine bus to Glenwood Springs, and the bus was head-on'd by a pick-up truck, killing the driver, and injuring most of us on the bus. When I regained consciousness, I remember pushing out the emergency window on the bus, to drop down to the ground. The bus was in a ditch, so it was quite a long drop, but nothing like the pax on # 5 from the Superliner must have had on Friday................
Needless to say, and others have heard this from me before, I am not ever flying into Glenwood Springs!
I was going to take the Pioneer to Oregon, but we never made it out of the canyon. We heard the engineer YELL "...@#$^ BIG HOLE" which we all knew meant he'd just put the train into emergency.
A few seconds later it was bumpity-bumpity-bumpity over the RR ties, and then stop. Lights out (HEP became disconnected mid-train) We were kind of at a scary side-ways tip, with the rock wall to our left, and the Colorado River to our right, our VERY, VERY, CLOSE right. (it was magnified by angle that the Superliner was tipped. But I tell ya, it wasn't too far down to the river, and it was a pretty steep embankment. VERY similar to THIS PHOTO.
We could see the road across the river, or at least headlights, cause this happened after diner if I recall. And there we sat, for hours.
The D&RGW cobbled together a "rescue train" made up of existing cabooses, I mean it was a whole train of cabooses and flatcars, and camp cars. (cause they sent a crew in too) But it was daylight B4 that train backed towards us. I do remember that the cabooses had kerosene heaters, fired up for warmth, in them.
The most negative thing I remember was some STOOPID attorney-passenger going car-to-car, handing out his business cards. I followed him for three or four cars, and was telling people "DON'T TRUST THIS AMBULANCE CHASER" God I was pissed off.
NO ONE was injured as I recall. Shaken, scared, nervous, but that was about it. I'm sure someone "twisted an ankle" or something walking along the ballast from the Zephyr to the work train, but the D&RGW employees basically made a "tunnel" of employees to guide the pax to the cabooses.
When we got to Gleenwood Springs, we got on Motorcoaches, and headed back to Denver Union Station. There Amtrak personnel handed us CASH, and an airline ticket to our final destination.
For a railfan it was exciting, not too scary after things settled down, and very, very interesting.
That morning we rode the Motorcoaches back to Denver, we traveled the same highway we had seen across the river from the train, and saw the work train in the process of cleaning #5's cars from the track.
Almost ten years earlier to the day, I was leaving Aspen, CO on a GreyLine bus to Glenwood Springs, and the bus was head-on'd by a pick-up truck, killing the driver, and injuring most of us on the bus. When I regained consciousness, I remember pushing out the emergency window on the bus, to drop down to the ground. The bus was in a ditch, so it was quite a long drop, but nothing like the pax on # 5 from the Superliner must have had on Friday................
Needless to say, and others have heard this from me before, I am not ever flying into Glenwood Springs!
G
guestlsa
Guest
well I been several incidents . My 1st one was on coast starlight and it was my first solo trip by myself in coaches.We just getting ready to come into Oakland CA when we sudden stop . Lets the crew car was on its side and we end up being over 14 hours late. Another one was bomb threat in Cumberland where I made the front page of USAToday and last but not least incident in Pittsburgh where a freight train hit us (CL) from behind.
PJRACER
Service Attendant
Reason for asking.....we are a little over a month away from our first long distance (or any distance for that matter) AMTRAK experience and my wife is quite apprehensive after all the new coverage of the terrible accidents that have been happening.
TraneMan
Conductor
I wouldn't worry about it. . You are by far more safe in the train than in your own car or airline. Just go and enjoy the trip!
Mackensen
Lead Service Attendant
In May I was on the Southwest Chief when an elk blundered into our path. It was serious enough to damage a coach but nobody was seriously hurt. Caused us to be a couple hours late into LA. Otherwise, no.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
Actually, wouldn't it be almost the exact opposite of car accidents? I and nearly everyone I know have at least witnessed a car accident at some point. I certainly can't say the same about train accidents. Most train accidents are nothing like what we saw outside Reno recently. They're generally minor affairs from the perspective of the safety of the train's occupants. If you're still worried that passenger trains are unsafe you can always work with your local, state, and federal governments to get more grade crossings removed or replaced.
AAARGH!
Conductor
I have been in two crossing incidents.
The first on the CZ west of Reno when we hit a stationary pickup truck who wax sitting in his driveway. Yes, his driveway has a RR crossing. He Sid not realize his back end was still on the tracks. Minor injury to the driver, pickup truck destroyed.
The second on the San Joaquin. The driver drove away after being hit! The police found him as he was not hard to spot. No imjuries.
The first on the CZ west of Reno when we hit a stationary pickup truck who wax sitting in his driveway. Yes, his driveway has a RR crossing. He Sid not realize his back end was still on the tracks. Minor injury to the driver, pickup truck destroyed.
The second on the San Joaquin. The driver drove away after being hit! The police found him as he was not hard to spot. No imjuries.
I think Delaware requires all roads that cross the NEC to bridge over the tracks. Of course, we have such a short section of the tracks in our state.
Now, freight tracks are different and we get a number of accidents. We've had a few recently in Newark (DE not NJ) where people have mis-turned onto the tracks. Once was at night, but the other was during the day and she claims her GPS told her to make that turn. Uh, if your GPS told you to turn off a bridge mid-span, would you?
Now, freight tracks are different and we get a number of accidents. We've had a few recently in Newark (DE not NJ) where people have mis-turned onto the tracks. Once was at night, but the other was during the day and she claims her GPS told her to make that turn. Uh, if your GPS told you to turn off a bridge mid-span, would you?
The Davy Crockett
Engineer
While not involved in one, I witnessed the February 16, 1996 accident between Amtrak's #29 (CL) and MARC train #286. I lived in a high-rise building and our ninth floor condo overlooked the Georgetown Jct. interlocking where the accident occured.
I could generally hear the CLs (29 & 30) coming and I'd go to the window to watch them go by whenever I was at home. Only that time it seemed like a bomb went off. No one on the CL was killed, but 11 people on the MARC train lost their lives. Most who died were riding in the appropriately nicknamed lead (pronounced "leed" not "led") 'coffin car' on the MARC train.
Speaking of this accident, I was interviewed for a documentary that was made about it. I have never seen it and would very much like to get a copy of it. Someone told me that they had seen it on MSNBC several years ago. Does anyone have any ideas on where I might find a copy? THANKS!
PJRACER: In terms of feeling safe while riding, I must admit that the first time I boarded a train after seeing the accident I had a couple of moments of uneasiness, but my love of riding soon overcame any lingering doubts. And on the other hand I've witnessed a fair number of auto accidents (one with a fatality) and been involved in about ten - that includes two when I was driving. When it is all said and done, I feel MUCH safer in a train than in a motor vehicle.
I could generally hear the CLs (29 & 30) coming and I'd go to the window to watch them go by whenever I was at home. Only that time it seemed like a bomb went off. No one on the CL was killed, but 11 people on the MARC train lost their lives. Most who died were riding in the appropriately nicknamed lead (pronounced "leed" not "led") 'coffin car' on the MARC train.
Speaking of this accident, I was interviewed for a documentary that was made about it. I have never seen it and would very much like to get a copy of it. Someone told me that they had seen it on MSNBC several years ago. Does anyone have any ideas on where I might find a copy? THANKS!
PJRACER: In terms of feeling safe while riding, I must admit that the first time I boarded a train after seeing the accident I had a couple of moments of uneasiness, but my love of riding soon overcame any lingering doubts. And on the other hand I've witnessed a fair number of auto accidents (one with a fatality) and been involved in about ten - that includes two when I was driving. When it is all said and done, I feel MUCH safer in a train than in a motor vehicle.
Last edited by a moderator:
I was on the northbound Auto Train on the day after Thanksgiving in the late 1990's (I think). While we were eating dinner somewhere in Georgia we hit a pickup truck that tried to beat the train and went around the cross bars. Fortunately, the driver was not killed. I seem to remember everyone in the truck had been drinking.
Our train was delayed several hours for the accident investigation and we went very slowly on our way to Lorton. The accident had damaged the train's snow plow and we were unable to ride at maximum speed. Of course, we were very late arriving in Lorton, but we no one on the train was injured. We did feel at little "bump" while we were sitting in the dining car when we hit the truck.
I hope that will be my only train accident experience.
My grandfather was in a major accident on the Long Island Railroad in 1951 (or early 1952). I believe it was a head-on collision with another train. According to my mother's recollection, my grandfather was the only person in his car to survive. His pelvis was crushed by seats, and although he was told that he would never walk again, afater he recovered, he was able to walk with a cane. He died in 1958 (I think) when he was in his early 60's. According to my mother, the accident shortened his life (probably in conjunction with cigarette smoking
)
Our train was delayed several hours for the accident investigation and we went very slowly on our way to Lorton. The accident had damaged the train's snow plow and we were unable to ride at maximum speed. Of course, we were very late arriving in Lorton, but we no one on the train was injured. We did feel at little "bump" while we were sitting in the dining car when we hit the truck.
I hope that will be my only train accident experience.
My grandfather was in a major accident on the Long Island Railroad in 1951 (or early 1952). I believe it was a head-on collision with another train. According to my mother's recollection, my grandfather was the only person in his car to survive. His pelvis was crushed by seats, and although he was told that he would never walk again, afater he recovered, he was able to walk with a cane. He died in 1958 (I think) when he was in his early 60's. According to my mother, the accident shortened his life (probably in conjunction with cigarette smoking
)
leemell
Conductor
I've been in two. The first was the southbound CS about Chatsworth (San Fernando Valley).. We hit a pickuip truck. We didn't find out unitl after we sat there for a half an hour. After about a hour we moved on. The driver was killed. The second time was on the Surfliner northbound. In the same general area we hit and killed a pedestrian.Both incidents were about 10 or so years ago.
Last edited by a moderator:
R
rms492
Guest
Hate to say it as much as I am, but flying remains the safest form of transport. Rail is second, intercity bus is third, and your car of course comes in forth. Why is flying safest? No risk of collisions in the air, wide open spaces. But yeah it may not FEEL safest when you are in the air, but your odds dying in an airliner accident are I believe 1 to 1 million. Not sure what it is for rail, but I'd guess 1 to 500,000.
The odds are much better than that (for both modes). Given that Amtrak carries nearly 30 million people per year, Amtrak would have to have 60 passenger deaths per year to get odds of 1 to 500,000. Friday's incident claimed the first passenger fatalities since a City of New Orleans wreck sometime in the mid 2000s in Mississippi. So, that would be between 100 and 200 million rides without a passenger fatality resulting from an accident.
The aviation industry in this country is even better, given that several hundred million people fly in the US each year. The major airlines haven't had a passenger fatality since 2001, and the last "regional" airline fatal accident that I can think of was two or three years ago, at least.
I was on the Auto Train sometime in the 90s and we hit a trespasser on the tracks and were tied up for a good while (don't remember exactly where - I was about 5).
In 2008 I was on 91 and as we passed the former site of the Sanford Amtrak station (just past the Auto Train station) we clipped a guy who had apparently been playing chicken on the tracks. The guy managed to scamper away, so he must not have been hurt that badly. Despite that, the cops came, and we had to sit around for an hour while they did their thing. Channel 2 in Orlando dispatched a news chopper that was circling the train for quite a while, despite nothing really having happened.
In 2010, I was on eastbound train 2 when we went into emergency near Alpine. Breaking the rules, I went downstairs and opened the vestibule window for a quick peek and on the same track about a football field away from us was the westbound train 1. Apparently there was a Union Pacific signal malfunction and train 1 had been given a green light when he should have waited in the siding for 2 to clear the single track. I was talking to the dining car LSA afterwards who said that in his 35 years at Amtrak, that was the closest he'd ever come to being in an wreck.
On that same trip on number 2, we had just departed Houston when we clipped a car (a brand new Cadillac SUV) at a crossing. The driver had pulled too far forward and our train took a good chunk out of the front of it. The driver was okay, just a bit shaken up, but we were delayed for 3 hours because we were right at the Houston city limits, so the Houston Police were arguing with the police from the suburb over who was responsible for filling out the paperwork. The story behind this that I heard from the train crew is rather amusing: the crossing was not a public crossing, it was the entrance to the local Union Pacific yard. The driver was a Union Pacific employee who operated radio controlled switchers in the yard. Talk about irony. The consensus among the crew was that he had probably worked his last days for Union Pacific.
Although I wasn't on this train, in 2007, I was visiting relatives in Lakeland, Florida when the Silver Star hit a truck at a private crossing in Plant City. Since we were only 5 miles away, we drove over to take a look at the mess. The wreckage of the truck was sitting track side, the entire train was derailed (but upright), and engine 191 was smashed up pretty badly. The truck driver was killed and the engineers had minor injuries, but all the Amtrak passengers were okay.
In 2008 I was on 91 and as we passed the former site of the Sanford Amtrak station (just past the Auto Train station) we clipped a guy who had apparently been playing chicken on the tracks. The guy managed to scamper away, so he must not have been hurt that badly. Despite that, the cops came, and we had to sit around for an hour while they did their thing. Channel 2 in Orlando dispatched a news chopper that was circling the train for quite a while, despite nothing really having happened.
In 2010, I was on eastbound train 2 when we went into emergency near Alpine. Breaking the rules, I went downstairs and opened the vestibule window for a quick peek and on the same track about a football field away from us was the westbound train 1. Apparently there was a Union Pacific signal malfunction and train 1 had been given a green light when he should have waited in the siding for 2 to clear the single track. I was talking to the dining car LSA afterwards who said that in his 35 years at Amtrak, that was the closest he'd ever come to being in an wreck.
On that same trip on number 2, we had just departed Houston when we clipped a car (a brand new Cadillac SUV) at a crossing. The driver had pulled too far forward and our train took a good chunk out of the front of it. The driver was okay, just a bit shaken up, but we were delayed for 3 hours because we were right at the Houston city limits, so the Houston Police were arguing with the police from the suburb over who was responsible for filling out the paperwork. The story behind this that I heard from the train crew is rather amusing: the crossing was not a public crossing, it was the entrance to the local Union Pacific yard. The driver was a Union Pacific employee who operated radio controlled switchers in the yard. Talk about irony. The consensus among the crew was that he had probably worked his last days for Union Pacific.
Although I wasn't on this train, in 2007, I was visiting relatives in Lakeland, Florida when the Silver Star hit a truck at a private crossing in Plant City. Since we were only 5 miles away, we drove over to take a look at the mess. The wreckage of the truck was sitting track side, the entire train was derailed (but upright), and engine 191 was smashed up pretty badly. The truck driver was killed and the engineers had minor injuries, but all the Amtrak passengers were okay.
Last edited by a moderator:
Welcome back Jeff, haven't seen a post in a while. What are you going to do with your Tressel-Vest?
Kidding, I honestly wish it hadn't happened, I like the guy.
amtrakwolverine
Engineer
What caused the first accident?
I was on the Texas eagle in may of 2008. we were just outside SAS when we hit a SUV that went around the gates. Were on final approach so speed was slow but the car ended up in a ditch totaled. both people in the car survived.
Last edited by a moderator:
I've actually been on Two LD Trains that were involved in "Accidents". The First was in the Late 1980s While Riding the Crescent from WAS-ATL in a Slumber Coach "Roomette".Somewhere in NC in a Small Hamlet in the Dark We went into Emergency Stop!. A Log Truck had Tried to Beat the Train Across an Unmarked Crossing and we Struck it Doing about 70 Resulting in the Truck Being Totaled and the Driver Killed! It took approxiamately 3 Hours to be Cleared before We Rolled Out/No Damage to the Train! During the Layover there was a Pizza Joint Across the Tracks that an OBS went too and Brought Back Some Pretty Good Pizza Based on the Slice the Attendant Shared with Me! No Pax or Crew was Hurt Thank Goodness!
The Other Incident was on the Texas Eagle #22 Just Out of Texarkana Stop.. The Train Hit and Killed a Guy that was Laying on the Tracks and We went into Emergency Stop/ Sat for 2 Hours While the Ambulance/Police/Coroner etc. Came ! We Could Actually see the Body Outside the Sleeper Door, it was Pretty Badly Mangled! I had just Gone to Bed, the SCA told Me that we were doing about 60 when the Incident Happend. The Engineer was Replaced and we Rolled Out for Little Rock Arriving 2 Hours Down with No inhjuries to the Passengers/Crew or Train so I have been Fortunate, Not So the Tresspassers on the Tracks that Caused the Incidents and resulted in Their Deaths!! -_-
It took approxiamately 3 Hours to be Cleared before We Rolled Out/No Damage to the Train! During the Layover there was a Pizza Joint Across the Tracks that an OBS went too and Brought Back Some Pretty Good Pizza Based on the Slice the Attendant Shared with Me! No Pax or Crew was Hurt Thank Goodness!The Other Incident was on the Texas Eagle #22 Just Out of Texarkana Stop.. The Train Hit and Killed a Guy that was Laying on the Tracks and We went into Emergency Stop/ Sat for 2 Hours While the Ambulance/Police/Coroner etc. Came ! We Could Actually see the Body Outside the Sleeper Door, it was Pretty Badly Mangled!
I had just Gone to Bed, the SCA told Me that we were doing about 60 when the Incident Happend. The Engineer was Replaced and we Rolled Out for Little Rock Arriving 2 Hours Down with No inhjuries to the Passengers/Crew or Train so I have been Fortunate, Not So the Tresspassers on the Tracks that Caused the Incidents and resulted in Their Deaths!! -_-
Last edited by a moderator:
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
Staff member
Administator
Moderator
AU Supporting Member
Gathering Team Member
I have been involved in a grade crossing accident on the Silver Star in Winter Park FL. A Honda Accord completely demolished. Fortunately the driver and his dog survived, the dog completely unharmed and furious, and the driver had to be carried away in braces on a stretcher. Not a scratch on the engine. Train was delayed about an hour.
I have also been involved in a pedestrian fatality on the NEC on a Regional. Not much worth saying about it.
I have also been involved in a pedestrian fatality on the NEC on a Regional. Not much worth saying about it.
NorthCoastHiawatha
OBS Chief
With a little over 17,000 miles under my belt and ive only been involved in one incident. I was on the westbound CZ in 2008 when we took out a boat trailer somewhere just before the Colorado/Utah border. We were delayed about an hour but made up time across Nevada and I got off in Sacramento right on time.
No clue, I never researched it. We didn't hit a vehicle, that's for sure, no grade X on that side of river. Could only speculate. It was kind of neat to watch the news coverage of it though, back in Denver. It was pre-cell phone days, so my relatives were a little worried, as they knew my itinerary.
The only train accident I've been involved in was when the Empire Builder in 1973 struck a cultivator being pulled by a farmer a few miles west of . . . Minot, ND. (What is it about that place, anyway?)
I was also on a Capitol Limited that stopped unexpectedly between Chicago and South Bend in 1995 after an air hose became disconnected. The train was pulling one or two "private varnish" cars, where the disconnection may have occurred. AFAIK, there were no injuries. On my return trip to California on the Southwest Chief, one of the engines conked out climbing Raton Pass, but I guess they were able to restart it, as the train got going again after only a few minutes' delay.
I was also on a Capitol Limited that stopped unexpectedly between Chicago and South Bend in 1995 after an air hose became disconnected. The train was pulling one or two "private varnish" cars, where the disconnection may have occurred. AFAIK, there were no injuries. On my return trip to California on the Southwest Chief, one of the engines conked out climbing Raton Pass, but I guess they were able to restart it, as the train got going again after only a few minutes' delay.
Everydaymatters
Engineer
During my first Amtrak trip the SW Chief also conked out on the return trip at Raton Pass. We sat there for hours with no air conditioning. Must be a bad place for trains...
On the trip to LA we hit a vehicle. We didn't get any info, but we sat there for hours. Nobody in the train even felt a bump. That was around 1988.
On the trip to LA we hit a vehicle. We didn't get any info, but we sat there for hours. Nobody in the train even felt a bump. That was around 1988.
- Status
