Southwest Chief Derails In Kansas

[litz]

well, Amtrak has witness cameras. If there was indeed a misalignment, the camera should have caught it.

In fact, I'd bet it was (literally) glaringly obvious in the head/ditchlights.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Well, Chicago scoured up enough equipment for a #3 (15). While it was overtaking on 2 track, a WB freight on 3, I didn't get the best of views. It did have a Sightseer and a V-Bag, and otherwise a total of nine cars.

Maybe Mr. Third Rail has knowledge and can share just how hard they had to scrounge.

[Dick H]

"Large feed truck had crossed track in Kansas where Amtrak train derailed"
From The Wichita Eagle,

http://www.kansas.com/news/state/article66279717.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Backshophoss]

#3(14)ran the detour,Newton-Mulvane-Clovis-Belen-ABQ and had BNSF power as leader again,
after turning on the Abjo wye,arr ABQ at 5:50p left at 6:35p,unknown if the BNSF unit was cut loose or kept on.
#4(14) is running the normal route tonight was on time at ABQ today.

[CLamb]

There is no service alert on the Amtrak website. Is it really back to normal operation that quickly?

[Backshophoss]

There's a passing siding about 1.5 miles east of the wreck site,known as Cimarron,the equipment could be in that siding until
released by NTSB.

[Tadman]

Looks like fairly conclusive evidence that a feed truck displaced the tracks.

http://www.kmbc.com/news/ntsb-feed-truc ... t/38531252" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A truck used to deliver feed to a business where cattle are fattened hit a train track and shifted it at least a foot before an Amtrak train derailed in southwest Kansas and injured at least 32 people, and investigator said Tuesday.

[Fan Railer]

Now the question is how do you prevent something like this from happening again?

[mtuandrew]

Now the question is how do you prevent something like this from happening again?

Better condition and wider road timbers (or rubber mat) and preferably guard rails at both approaches. Guessing this is a farm crossing and not a county road?

[scoostraw]

Was it even at a crossing?

And how the heck do you move the track a full foot and not realize you need to do/say something about it?

[JimBoylan]

Positive ?Train Control would have prevented this, if it hadn't been postponed?

[mtuandrew]

What if there aren't rail breaks, just a rail pushed out of the spikes?

[JLJ061]

I seriously doubt PTC could have prevented this if the rails and the track circuits remained intact.

Even PTC couldn't have prevented the 1993 Sunset Limited wreck in Alabama with the same set of circumstances.

[ExCon90]

It seems clear that PTC would not have prevented this, since the line has automatic block now, and evidently the signal circuits were not interrupted. As the truck was nowhere in evidence when the derailment occurred, the last block signal would have shown its most restrictive indication well before the train reached it if the circuit had been broken by the incursion, so PTC would not have been necessary. As pointed out above, except that it was a truck this time and not a barge, the circumstances are the same as at Bayou Canot.

[Backshophoss]

BNSF downgraded the La junta sub to a 40 mph freight route,60 mph passenger a few years back,
and it's been awhile since a tie gang did work on the track there,the ties are weather beaten,old and some
just might be rotten.
The ground is still thawing out,the roadbed may have been a bit soft.
Add to that the truck may have been overloaded.