Posted on 04/03/2016 7:32:11 AM PDT by Kaslin
DEVELOPING:Two construction workers were killed when an Amtrak train traveling from New York to Savannah, Ga., Sunday struck a backhoe that was on the tracks about 15 miles south of Philadelphia, Delaware County officials said.
Two construction workers were killed when an Amtrak train traveling from New York to Savannah, Ga., Sunday struck a backhoe that was on the tracks about 15 miles south of Philadelphia, Delaware County officials said.
The crash, which occurred around 8 a.m., derailed the lead engine of Palmetto Train 89, according to a statement by Amtrak.
One additional person was injured, according to NBC, which cited Chester Police.
Reports from witnesses on the train indicate the Amtrak conductor blew the train's horn, but construction workers were unable to clear the tracks in time.
Amtrak said initial reports were that some passengers were being treated for injuries, but could not immediately confirm fatalities.
A passenger on the train described a fireball and windows on the train being blown out upon impact.
"The conductor did inform us that there was a fatality, that there were people working on the track," Stephanie Burroughs told Fox News. Burroughs said she was told the death was someone who was "working on the tracks."
She also said there were "some injuries" to passengers in the front car, but she had heard the worst injury was a broken arm.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Not a backhoe. Some kind of Amtrak repair equipment and the two dead were in that.
“Whut we got heyah, is faya, to communicate”
RIP
Santa Fe please get back into the passenger service for many reasons Amtrak is a parasite.
That’s what signals are for. Dispatcher is supposed to keep these things straight.
You’re right, nothing like a backhoe.
I had a project that required heavy cranes crossing Amtrak tracks.
To say they were incompetent, is to understate it.
After meetings at their control center on S. Canal, their communications guy was no show!They had three or four observers, but the one with a radio to talk to the trains;no.
After two hours and 35 workers waiting he shows.
Half way in a light is spotted coming at us!!!
The radio guy is able to contact them, a machine that cleans the ballast; huge and sounds like the horns of hell.
They didn’t see it on the schedule!!!!
That can ruin your day.
Well, I can’t help it. The point is why weren’t they warned, or why was the Amtrack conductor? not told to avoid the area?
They were using a digger where there ain’t no dirt and mowed over...
I had to shut down the four (memory says four) tracks running east out of Kansas City north of the Missouri River. We were setting bridge beams for a moving walkway connector from a parking garage to a recreational facility.
It has been twenty-five years ago but as I remember it we had 28 Iron Workers, Eight operators, five cranes, all on Easter Sunday at triple-time. Plus about 25k in special bonds and insurance for the rail lines benefit.
This accident, from the track mounted equipment, appears to be Amtrak killing their own internal workers or internal contractors. An outside contractor would not be working on the tracks without them shut down with flagmen miles back in each direction (paid for by the outside contractor of course.)
Philadelphia,
So I thought Back-Ho.
Thanks for posting
Ironic, another train-related incident happened in Philly.
And with Amtrack
Not doing the proper communications.
Growing incompetence.
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