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Reports I saw seemed to indicate that the truck couldn't negotiate a tight turn and was being "assisted" by a State Trooper or other law enforcement official. Supposedly, Amtrak was called or an attempt was made to call Amtrak (unclear), but there "was not enough time" (20 mins. or more?)to alert the train crew. Stay tuned, as I find this kind of situation hard to believe in this day and age of 911 reporting - methinks something broke down in the communications end of things.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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That's quite a jump the locomotive makes as it impacts the trailer. I would have expected the locomotive stay on the tracks. Glad to hear that the engineer and most passenger are safe.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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The locomotive was lifted up several feet in the air from the impact, as can be seen from the video of the collision. This load was apparently very heavy, to judge from that and the large number of wheels under it.
A post on Trainorders on March 9 says that the most recent report on WRAL.com said that 55 passengers were injured -- 40 treated and released from one hospital, another 14 treated at another hospital, and one person airlifted to Greenville.
I, too, along with many others, shudder to think of what would have happened had this been a situation where the train was running in the push mode with the cab car leading. Thank heavens Amtrak does not run long-distance trains in the push mode!
I have no idea why the railroad -- CSX -- was never notified that this truck was stuck on the tracks. The state trooper was there, was was the driver of the escort vehicle, but apparently neither person thought to call the RR -- whose toll-free emergency number was on the signal-control box. (I wonder -- did that cop even call 9-1-1?)
Posts: 211 | From: California | Registered: Dec 2004
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Trucking company found out how to get their trailer unstuck the hard way in this incident.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Margaret, I think several public agencies, one of which is Law Enforcement, will be going into finger pointing mode.
It appears to is enough blame to pass around arising from this incident.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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