Posted on 05/17/2015 7:39:22 PM PDT by jonatron
Federal officials this weekend revealed the train that crashed Tuesday, killing 8, was one of two struck by objects that day.
Investigators are now looking into the possibility the doomed train's windshield was struck in the moments before the crash.
Amtrak, meanwhile, has been ordered to expand speed-restriction system in area of derailment in Philadelphia.
NTSB investigators, however, said Sunday that no communication from the train indicated it had been hit by an object.
...snip
EPTA, Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, said there's no indication the object that hit the commuter rail train is related to the Amtrak derailment.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter on Friday reports of an unknown projectile 'had nothing to do' with the deadly crash.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Very interesting post (#89). Thanks.
#98 I was kidding about the brush between the tracks.
When you derail a train you are going to break a few windows.
If it’s not constantly “the weather” (the economy), it’s “the projectile, when it comes to the train crash cause factor.
“Wow. Did you get the name of the company? You should at least try to get the cost of repairing the damaged window back.”
Yeah, I got the license and whatnot as he sped away. A trucking company out of Quebec (hence the ice on top). Good luck with that. No speaka de Engrish when it’s convenient.
I don’t think anything but grass or small veggitation could grow between the tracks anyway from the trains going over it every day, chemicals, oils, and the ballest is not good material for planets to grow.
But you will see poison suamock trees growing near the tracks with their oval leaves.
Indeed, that changes things a bit, plus it was 8 cars. Weren’t there something like 16 or more connected to the train that crashed?
Regardless, after a point it doesn’t appear to change overall acceleration that much since it reportedly took about a minute to go from 80 to 106 in the case of this train crash incident.
wow cool the exact engine being tested.
True about the acceleration but the train is moving as fast as it is required to go once out of the station at 30th street. From the zoo (and the zoo is bordered by this Line) on out in a NE direction it is straight with a slight bend east at front street which is 30 blocks from 30th street. so if the banked curve is 50 the relatively straight speed could be much faster requiring a slow down at the curve which i don’t think that is how the trains are run there. I think they don’t go over 50 on that stretch.
I’ll bet with almost 100 % certainty that the analasyes from the N.T.S.B. will show that the windshield will show that what hit that windshield is staring them right in the face.
Metal from the catenary lines poles, the the rail road ballest rocks, and traces of copper from those copper electric cables hitting that windshield.
Isn’t there also a cat walk just about 50 yards from the engine ?
They will find traces of metal on that engine from that cat walk from the engine hitting it.
Notice that the N.T.S.B. is stepping away from the story and theory that some kind of projectile hit that train ?
I read on a train enthusiast site that has many members familiar with Amtrak in general and the area specifically that the limit was in fact 50 mph from Philly Station to the interconnect where the train derailed.
They also stated that the reason there was Positive Train Control on the south/westbound trains but not north/east was that it was considered inconceivable that anyone would get a train going that fast out of the station to reach derailment speed, while trains coming south are dropping from 125 mph limits to the restricted speed at the curve.
Some are also referring to discussion of the “projectile” as the “magic rock theory”.
“Notice that the N.T.S.B. is stepping away from the story and theory that some kind of projectile hit that train ?”
I did not realize the NTSB was now distancing itself from that theory.
Interesting.
I doubt that ballast from the line bed caused the left window damage, but the catenary line towers / lines, some other debris alongside the line, or something of that nature caused the damage. I don’t see ballast scattered from the crash doing that kind of damage or reaching the window with enough force to do that kind of damage (the physics don’t seem logical to me).
well the distance would allow about 100 mph. It’s about 4 miles on the straight away. and given they are moving about 20-30 maybe around the zoo. according to the youtube test of the very engine it takes about 1 minute to go from 20 mph to 90mph. but the 50 mph on that stretch until you get to 95 is how i recall the trains i was on, actually operate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJMhKgEnnNc
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