Derailment on to SB I-5 in Nisqually - Dupont, WA

[delamaize]

Shouldn't there have been a Sperry Rail Detector run on this entire modified route being it would be used for passenger service ? And the data gathered from that should have track geometry , grades , and curves ........no ??? Was that info applied to signaling and signage ? Was physical changes installed ?

They did test, A ton, With all kinds of different geometry equipment. This project had been going on for a long time.

[DKS]

But, isn't he supposed to know the route, anyway?

According to an Amtrack engineer I know (he runs the Acella), this is exactly right. Before an engineer is allowed to run a route, s/he is taken over it several times to become familiar, and is also supervised for a while after taking the throttle.

[C855B]

My theory is a serious distraction of some sort. As everyone familiar with the process has said, the pilot knew the route and had run it multiple times.

In the "raw" radio feed recording, I was listening for signs of impairment. None... this was somebody working hard at being as collected and rational as he could muster for clarity's sake given the circumstances.

[p51]

In the "raw" radio feed recording, I was listening for signs of impairment. None... this was somebody working hard at being as collected and rational as he could muster for clarity's sake given the circumstances.

That wasn't the engineer, though some media outlets have said it was.

[delamaize]

That wasn't the engineer, though some media outlets have said it was.

I'm pretty sure that was one of the conductors, The engineer, as last reported, is in the hospital with a severe head injury and facial trauma.

[eric220]

That wasn't the engineer, though some media outlets have said it was.

If you listen to the radio traffic, at one point the voice from the train specifically says he’s the conductor, not the engineer.

Looking at those photos upthread, I think it’s pretty clear that the lead loco jumped the tracks before the track deformation. (Reference the chunks taken out of the retaining wall.) Especially with the jackknifing that is evident, I suspect that the train caused the track deformation as it was derailing and getting thrown all over the place.

[mu26aeh]

I believe the voice of the conductor you hear was from the rear locomotive

[nscaleSPF2]

Pardon my ignorance, but does the (Amtrak) engineer have any way of knowing exactly where he is?  Like with GPS or something like that?  Or does he need to keep track of the mile markers that are posted along the route?  I am wondering if it is possible that he may have missed a marker, that would have warned him of the upcoming slow-down?

Again, I have no idea how the engineer knows where he is.

[p51]

I'm pretty sure that was one of the conductors, The engineer, as last reported, is in the hospital with a severe head injury and facial trauma.

That is reasonably accurate. I know who he is.

[John]

That is reasonably accurate. I know who he is.

hope he recovers physically and other wise quickly !!!

[p51]

As do I. Two pals of mine were on the train as passengers, both messed up, one pretty badly. He was in surgery when I heard the last update.

[mu26aeh]

During NBC report tonight, 2 of the deceased were train enthusiasts, excited to be on the maiden run. 

[mu26aeh]

Juan Brown got a lot of stardom during the dam/spillway failure at Orville, CA. 

[up1950s]

I heard on ABC news earlier that the engineer may have been distracted . So was that by one of the 2 extra tech's assigned to this first run asking questions ?

Looks like Lee is at the scene taking notes !

[nkalanaga]

The report I saw, from Northwest news sites tonight, is that the possible "distraction" was a second conductor, himself on a training run over the new route.  He and the engineer were in the cab, the regular conductor was back in the train as usual.

If the engineer was supposed to be teaching the conductor the route, it's entirely possible that, in answering questions, pointing out landmarks, or whatever, he lost track of his location.