http://www.wral.com/south-carolina-train-crash-leaves-at-least-2-dead-50-hurt/17312782/"CAYCE, S.C. — An Amtrak passenger train slammed into a parked freight train in the early-morning darkness Sunday after a thrown switch sent it hurtling down a side track, authorities said. Two Amtrak crew members were killed, and more than 100 people were injured."OK, things are becoming a little clearer now.
Freight train was stopped on a non-controlled siding.
It was sitting there parked, without a crew.
This is signaled territory, but I read that due to work, a "signal suspension" was in place. This means the signals would be "dark" (turned off), and trains would run "with track warrants" (sheet of paper telling crews what to do).
Normally in signaled territory, an open switch puts the signal prior to the switch "to the red", and the Amtrak train would then reduce to "restricted" speed, prepared to stop short of an open switch.
But the signal system was "out of service" here. The signals literally "go dark". This means the engineer on the Amtrak train would have no indication that a switch might be open ahead. He would only know when he -saw it in front of him-.
When the signal system is out-of-service, trains have to run at a reduced speed. In this case, about 59mph or so. But that still doesn't leave much time to react to suddenly seeing a switch "on the red!" in front of you. Especially if it's on a curve or there's fog out. (Additional info: train was moving at 57mph just prior to impact, according to GPS)
And -- for some reason -- this switch was open -- lining the Amtrak train right down the siding into the freight train. Again, with NO ADVANCE WARNING.
So, the guy running the Amtrak train -- probably a little on the tired side at 2.30am -- is "running on paper", trying to keep alert, watching ahead, and then....
THERE'S A SWITCH ON THE RED! right in front of him.
If he reacted in time, all he could do was "dump it" (put the brakes into emergency) and hang on to see what happens next.
And from the pics, you can see what happened next.
Questions:
Why was the switch open?
Who left it open?
Did the train dispatcher know?
Hmmm... here's some more info (copied from railroad.net):
====
Robert Sumwalt (NTSB Chairman) noted at the 4pm press briefing that the switch which Amtrak 91 took was still lined and locked (the padlock was still on it) to route traffic into the siding. https://www.grasswire.com/2018/02/04/tw ... ns-collide
The CSX train had unloaded cars at the autorack facility just to the southwest of the collision location and was backed into the siding before 91 passed through. They've recovered the Amtrak front-facing video camera, but neither EDR from either Amtrak or CSX due to the condition of the two locomotives (yet).====
So there's why the switch was open:
The freight train had "pulled by" the switch and then backed in.
But... NOBODY BOTHERED TO CLOSE THE SWITCH.
It was LOCKED in the open position !!
Worth shouting:
AMTRAK APPEARS TO HAVE NO FAULT IN THIS (at least as far as I can see).
Presuming he had "good paper" in his hand, the engineer did nothing wrong.
In fact, he'd probably receive a BIG cash settlement from the railroad if he survived.
But from the look of the front of the engine, that doesn't look good.
A modern-day Casey Jones.
Died with the orders in his hands.
And by the way,
this happened in Cayce, SC..!Some drone footage:
! No longer available
