Discussion relating to the B&O up to it's 1972 merger into Chessie System. Visit the B&O Railroad Historical Society for more information. Also discussion of the C&O up to 1972. Visit the C&O Historical Society for more information. Also includes the WM up to 1972. Visit the WM Historical Society for more information.
  by shlustig
 
Located on the Hinton division between Hinton and Handley; double-tracked, TCS, laid in a side-hill cut on the north bank of the New River.

Train #1 (3-E8's and 16 cars) Dp. Hinton at 12:08AM; received train orders to be alert at 5 known landslide areas because of persistent heavy rain. While moving at about 45 mph, train hit a landslide at a location not included in the train orders. The units and head 8 cars (2 head-end, 3 sleepers, 2 coaches, diner) derailed; no fatalities, 22 injuries.

Landscape rose over 200' above the tracks and had a strip mine on top. Location did not have slide-detector fences or bluff protection. In view of that, would PTC have prevented this accident?
  by ExCon90
 
As far as I can see, without slide protection, no. With slide protection, PTC would not have been needed and would only have been helpful if the engineer was inattentive.