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Curve where Amtrak train derailed in Washington has speed limit of 30 mph
The Seattle Times ^ | December 18th, 2017 | By Mike Baker , David Gutman and Mike Lindblom

Posted on 12/18/2017 6:00:15 PM PST by Mariner

The Amtrak train that derailed Monday morning on its inaugural trip through a faster railway route was supposed to slow dramatically before entering the curve where the crash occurred.

The speed limit at the curve where the train crosses Interstate 5 is 30 miles per hour, said state transportation department spokeswoman Barbara LaBoe, while the speed limit on most of the track is 79 mph. She said speed-limit signs are posted two miles before the lowered speed zone and then just before the zone.

“Engineers are trained to slow trains according to posted speeds,” she said.

Daniel Konzelman, who was driving on I-5 south parallel to the train, said he was traveling at 60 mph or more and watched the train pass his vehicle about a half-mile before the crash. A website that monitors locations and speeds of Amtrak trains, transitdocs.com, reported that the train was going about 81 mph shortly before the derailment, The Associated Press reported.

Russell Quimby, a consultant who was previously an investigator-in-charge for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said it appeared to him that the derailment was caused by speed. He said the track appeared relatively undisturbed, so it seemed unlikely that something knocked the train off the track, and he noted that it appeared the train drove in a straight line, missing the turn.

(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: amtrak; rail; trainwreck
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To: Paladin2

A few trees won’t slow a train much that’s doing 80 miles an hour.


81 posted on 12/18/2017 7:07:41 PM PST by Terry Mross (Liver spots And blood thinners..)
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To: Paladin2

“Hitting a tree tends to slow you down.”

That’s what Sonny Bono said.


82 posted on 12/18/2017 7:08:14 PM PST by LouieFisk
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To: Publius
PTC coupled with ECP brakes. ECP can reduce stopping distances by 70%. A PTC trigger would be an ideal add. My FRA project in 2008 included auto-couplers from Sharma & Associates that make up the coupler, air and ECP power with no human intervention. I had added capability to create an "auto consist" that identified the order and orientation of all the cars and displayed on The WiTronix display. That all died a sudden death when Obama took office in January 2009.
83 posted on 12/18/2017 7:10:05 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: William of Barsoom

The brand new engine is smashed a bit and on the road.


84 posted on 12/18/2017 7:10:51 PM PST by Rj Snows
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To: LouieFisk

Some Kennedy too.


85 posted on 12/18/2017 7:11:15 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

I did and it was informative.

Thanks for the suggestion.

It has been a long time since I’ve studied centrifugal force, and momentum. The tire dynamics in play was interesting.

When I used to drive like a crazy guy, I could count on dissipating some of the force by allowing for sliding sideways.

The problem is, if you’re on a narrow road, you’re not going to want to slide much. You’ll be off the road in the tulies.

About ten years ago, drifting became a big rage. I thought it was interesting, but you would go through a set of tires in about five minutes. Okay, a clear exaggeration, but it would cost you a lot of money in tires and suspension repairs.


86 posted on 12/18/2017 7:12:29 PM PST by DoughtyOne (McConnell, Ryan, and the whole GOPe are dead to me. Are Alabamans tired of winning?)
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To: libh8er
#58: "Or having homosexual sex with the co engineer with more to follow after they reached Seattle."

Definitely a possibility that bears investigation. It is the Pacific Northwest after all.
 

87 posted on 12/18/2017 7:12:51 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie (CNN is fake news.)
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To: Alberta's Child
"I think I read earlier that there was a locomotive at each end of the train."

That's true.

The one that ended up down on the road was the head end and the one that stayed on the tracks was at the rear.

One of the newscasts said the trailing locomotive was dead, i.e. not running and just going along for the ride.

I don't know if that is true or not.

88 posted on 12/18/2017 7:13:09 PM PST by SnuffaBolshevik
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To: aomagrat

Thank you!!


89 posted on 12/18/2017 7:13:39 PM PST by Rj Snows
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To: aomagrat

Thank you!!


90 posted on 12/18/2017 7:13:40 PM PST by Rj Snows
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To: DoughtyOne

Driving well below the adhesion limit on public roads is highly recommended. Especially in rain and on snow/ice.


91 posted on 12/18/2017 7:15:41 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: NOVACPA

Look at the picture in 53


92 posted on 12/18/2017 7:16:44 PM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: Mariner

Inaugural trip = Titanic AMTRAK


93 posted on 12/18/2017 7:17:58 PM PST by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~)
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To: SnuffaBolshevik

I think the rear engine was there to pull the train back to Seattle. Then they wouldn’t have to turn around when they got to Portland. Look at the soot streaks on the top.


94 posted on 12/18/2017 7:18:00 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: DoughtyOne

Im thinking breaking so hard and fast the cars in rear ran into cars in front.


95 posted on 12/18/2017 7:18:26 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: Publius

Betcha work on the tracks has signs taken down or being replaced. Betcha there was no sign about the limit speed of the curve. It was going back up next week.


96 posted on 12/18/2017 7:19:16 PM PST by George from New England (escaped CT in 2006, now living north of Tampa)
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To: LouieFisk

I do not believe this was some union engineer on cocaine on the maiden voyage of this train.

That is my GUT instinct

These tracks were groomed


97 posted on 12/18/2017 7:21:15 PM PST by mylife ( The roar of the masses could be farts)
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To: Myrddin
" auto-couplers "

That would be awesome and allow the railroads to more closely follow the example of the 'nets packet switching.

You could kick some cars off while passing a siding and use a rail gun to pick some up.

Most of the time freight cars seem to be just sitting around.

98 posted on 12/18/2017 7:23:55 PM PST by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

Yes, I agree. On the freeway when it’s down-pouring, I sometimes drive much less than the speed limit.

I hydroplaned one time and totalled my vehicle.

I hit a pool of water about four inches deep, and lost all control of my vehicle.


99 posted on 12/18/2017 7:24:48 PM PST by DoughtyOne (McConnell, Ryan, and the whole GOPe are dead to me. Are Alabamans tired of winning?)
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To: Raycpa

From what I’ve been reading, it’s been stated that the train braked starting in the back moving to the front.

That should alleviate most of the effect you are addressing.

Of course once you go off the track the front cars are coming to a full stop while the back cars still have momentum.

What you reference would for sure happen then.


100 posted on 12/18/2017 7:27:01 PM PST by DoughtyOne (McConnell, Ryan, and the whole GOPe are dead to me. Are Alabamans tired of winning?)
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