What appeared to be a routine,Sunday morning Amtrak ride became a harsh awakening for several hundred passengers. Yesterday, a train traveling from New York to Savannah derailed just outside of Philadelphia. The accident killed two construction workers and injured more than three dozen passengers. The collision was powerful enough to waste the front of the engine, or shatter windows, and start a fire within the train. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation into the crash.
Two other Amtrak crashes also took position yesterday over the span of 12 hours. A pedestrian was struck outside Philadelphia in Bucks County, and in the small town of Somonauk, and Illinois,a train hit a vehicle at a roadway crossing.
These incidents come less than a year after an Amtrak train traveling twice the speed limit from Washington, D.C. to New York City derailed in Philadelphia, or killing eight and injuring more than 200.
So what does this say approximately the way in which Amtrak operates its train lines and assures travelers that trains can be secure?Jim Hall,a former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1994 to 2001, provides insight on what factors may own lead to the crash, and what Amtrak can do to originate their trains more dependable.
Source: wnyc.org