I believe the SC amtrack was on another track stopped to allow passage of the CSX freight train that has the track priority.
It was noted on another thread that the Amtrack engine although stopped, encroached on the main taack and was struck by the oncoming freight train. From what I saw, I can believe that to be near the truth.
I don’t know how it is in Europe or Asia, but Amtrak leases a significant mileage of track owned by freight railroads, and my understanding is that the freight trains have priority. Don’t know what the solution is, but obviously if they are going to be sharing tracks they have to have a very well-developed communication system set up.
No, the freighter was sitting on the tracks empty and the passenger Amtrak was on the wrong track, running into it.
The worst part is that it was engine-engine, so the engineer was killed. If it was into the rear of the train, probably not as bad. Don’t know what the conductor was doing to be killed.