2016 Chester, Pennsylvania, train derailment

2016 collision between train and backhoe March 2018 April 2016 2016 Chester, Pennsylvania train derailment File:Amtrak 627 damaged after backhoe strike, April 2016.jpg Photograph of train locomotive involved in the accident The damaged locomotive after the collision Pennsylvania 39 49 59.0 N 75 23 40.1 W type:event inline,title 2016 04 03 7:50 a.m. EDT (UTC−4) Chester, Pennsylvania United States Northeast Corridor Amtrak Obstruction on line and consequent derailment Lack of safety device and communication between crew and dispatcher 1 (a single ACS-64 locomotive and several Amfleet coaches) 337 7 2 track workers 41 Passenger cars damaged; total damages $2.2 million (estimate) Sources: On April 3, 2016, Amtrak train 89, the southbound Palmetto, struck a backhoe while travelling through Chester, Pennsylvania, killing two track workers and derailing the locomotive, as well as damaging the first two cars. Accident The train, en route to Savannah, Georgia, had departed Philadelphia's 30th Street Station at 7:32 a.m. The train was carrying seven crew members and 337 passengers, including two employee passengers. The train was composed of one locomotive, eight passenger cars, one café car, and one baggage car.https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA16FR007.aspx Accident Report Detail: Amtrak Train Collision with Maintenance-of-Way Equipment, Chester, Pennsylvania National Transportation Safety Board November 14, 2017 March 10, 2018 It struck a backhoe obstructing the line at 7:50 a.m., slightly north of the Booth Street underpass.http://6abc.com/news/2-dead-in-amtrak-train-accident-in-chester/1274225/ Victims in fatal Amtrak collision ID'd, NTSB releases findings WPVI April 4, 2016 April 4, 2016 The NTSB determined that the train was traveling at 106 mph, below the authorized speed of 110 mph.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35954116 Amtrak Philadelphia: Two dead as train derails BBC News April 3, 2016 April 3, 2016 The Siemens ACS-64 locomotive 627 sustained extensive damage to its cab and was derailed; at least two of the cars were damaged.Stamm Dan April 3, 2016 2 Die as Amtrak Train Strikes Backhoe Causing Fireball http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/breaking/Chester-Train-Tracks-Crash-Equipment-374406561.html NBC Philadelphia April 3, 2016 Two maintenance workers—a backhoe operator and a track supervisor—were killed in the crash.Sisak Michael R. http://abc7ny.com/news/officials-amtrak-engineer-hit-brakes-just-before-pa-crash/1277015/ Officials: Amtrak engineer hit brakes seconds before crash Associated Press April 5, 2016 April 5, 2016 Forty-one people were hospitalized. Passengers were evacuated from the train to a nearby church.http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/04/03/amtrak-lead-engine-derails-after-crash-near-chester-pa/82580564/ 2 dead, dozens injured in Amtrak crash Karl Baker Brittany Horn The News Journal April 3, 2016 April 3, 2016 Among the passengers was businessman and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, who was on his way to Washington, D.C., to participate in the C-SPAN interview program In Depth. Forbes was unable to complete his trip, but did participate in a 15-minute interview by phone about his experiences that morning.Steve Forbes on Amtrak Derailment http://www.c-span.org/video/?406130-1/steve-forbes-amtrak-derailment C-SPAN April 8, 2016 Steve Forbes spoke by phone about being on the Amtrak train that derailed in Philadelphia earlier that day. Two people were reported to have died in the crash. Mr. Forbes was supposed to be the guest on Book TV's In Depth series that day. Amtrak rail service between Wilmington and Philadelphia, was suspended, as was service on the SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line.Chokshi Niraj Siddiqui Faiz April 3, 2016 Amtrak service disrupted in Northeast after derailment; 2 reported dead, 31 injured https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/04/03/amtrak-service-disrupted-in-northeast-after-derailment/ The Washington Post April 3, 2016 New Jersey Transit accepted Amtrak tickets for services between New York City and Trenton while services were disrupted.http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/news/two-killed-in-wreck-of-amtrak-palmetto.html Two killed in wreck of Amtrak Palmetto William C. Vantuono Railway Age April 3, 2016 Service restored the following morning, though with residual delays.April 4, 2016 Trains running again after Amtrak crash http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20160405_Trains_running_again_after_Amtrak_crash.html The Philadelphia Inquirer April 4, 2016 Investigation and aftermath The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Railroad Administration immediately opened investigations into the accident. One aspect of the NTSB investigation is whether or not the maintenance crew were working on the correct track.McGeehan Patrick Pérez-Peña Richard April 4, 2016 Amtrak Trying to Determine if Workers Were Authorized to Be on Tracks https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/05/us/right-of-way-not-yet-certain-in-amtrak-inquiry.html The New York Times April 5, 2016 The train event recorder and locomotive video (both forward-facing and inward-facing) were recovered by the NTSB. The NTSB released its preliminary report on April 18, 2016, and its final report on November 14, 2017. The NTSB report said that according to the federal investigation, the track was supposed to be closed to trains at the time of the crash.Brittany Horn http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/04/18/backhoe-amtrak-wreck-had-periodic-right-tracks/83194478/ Report: Track was closed morning of Amtrak crash The News Journal April 19, 2016 April 19, 2016Jason Laughlin http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/in-transit/Feds-issue-first-report-on-Chester-Amtrak-crash.html Feds issue first report on Chester Amtrak crash Philly.com April 18, 2016 April 19, 2016 The backhoe and the two killed workers were authorized to be present on track 2 during the maintenance period (which was scheduled to be from 10:00 p.m. April 1 until 5:00 a.m. April 4), for ballast cleaning and remediation of fouled ballast (mud spots). The incident took place on Track 3, which was supposed to be subject to temporary closure while the backhoe was brought into position on Track 2. The report states that Amtrak estimated that the crash resulted in $2.2 million in damages. Positive train control systems were in place and functional on the train and tracks.Gregg Levine, Amtrak crash: state-of-the art safety gear was operational at time of fatal collision, Guardian (April 6, 2016). However, crews performing work on the stretch of track where the crash occurred failed to deploy a supplemental shunting device while completing track work. Deployment of this device is considered a basic safety measure and is required by Amtrak's rules (although not by federal regulation) whenever workers are completing track work in short windows of time ("foul time").https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/investigations/NBC10-Investigators-Safety-Device-Missing-from-Amtrak-Site-After-Deadly-Accident--383451831.html NBC10 Investigators: Safety Device Missing from Amtrak Site After Deadly Accident Tangel Mitch June 17, 2016 NBC10 Philadelphia March 10, 2018 The NTSB released further information in January 2017, including interviews conducted as part of the investigation, that showed apparent miscommunication between two shift foremen regarding whether the track dispatcher had been informed of track restrictions.https://www.wsj.com/articles/ntsb-records-show-poor-communication-may-have-led-to-amtrak-accident-1485462863 NTSB Records Show Poor Communication May Have Led to Amtrak Accident The Wall Street Journal January 26, 2017 January 26, 2017 The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division, the union representing track workers, was highly critical of Amtrak management in the weeks after the crash, saying that Amtrak's safety procedures were inadequate. In October 2017, it was revealed that one of the track workers had taken oxycodone and the other had taken cocaine. The engineer had taken marijuana.https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/amtrak-workers-and-engineer-killed-in-crash-had-all-used-drugs-including-opioids-and-cocaine/2017/10/10/5915d728-adff-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html Amtrak workers killed in crash and train engineer all tested positive for drugs Ashley Halsey The Washington Post October 11, 2017 October 16, 2017 See also Pennsylvania Trains List of rail accidents (2010–2019) List of American railroad accidents References 30em Category:2016 disasters in the United States Category:2016 in Pennsylvania Category:Accidents and incidents involving Amtrak Category:Derailments in the United States Chester Category:Railway accidents and incidents in Pennsylvania Category:Chester, Pennsylvania Category:April 2016 in the United States