Major Amtrak train crash - Washington to New York

[Scr77]

Five Dead In Amtrak Train Crash in Philadelphia - ABC News

Sad incident on a popular route. It will, no doubt, cause some members issues.

 

[wooley]

Very sad incident.

 

[ellen10]

Yikes, just about to book some Amtrak tickets.

 

[Scr77]

Yikes, just about to book some Amtrak tickets.

Dont be perturbed. Travelled with Amtrak several times, including this route. We have nothing but fond memories. Never felt unsafe.

 

[Pushka]

I guess you always feel safe until the crash..,

But yes, we have been on this train also. And it was a great trip.

 

[kpc]

sad...I've taken the train between DC and NY

 

[Princess Fiona]

Terrible news
Like many here have also travelled Washington Union to NY Penn by rail.

 

[wooley]

I better not show my partner this, will freak her out before we travel Amtrak at the end of the year.

 

[Pushka]

I better not show my partner this, will freak her out before we travel Amtrak at the end of the year.

But there are multiple fatal car crashes every day and that doesn't stop people from travelling by car.

If anything, this will make Amtrak investigate procedures and it will be safe again.

 

[wooley]

But there are multiple fatal car crashes every day and that doesn't stop people from travelling by car.

If anything, this will make Amtrak investigate procedures and it will be safe again.

That's the problem with irrational fears... They're not rational.

Hence why we drove 2100km in 24 hours instead of flying after some of the air disasters last year.

 

[Hvr]

And like many other posters here I've travelled on this train previously including from Boston to Philadelphia. Hope to travel on it again in Oct down to DC.

 

[dajop]

But there are multiple fatal car crashes every day and that doesn't stop people from travelling by car.

And closer to home using same mode of transport, this sort of crash hasn't stopped people taking Vline or Cityrail.

 

[TomVexille]

Early reports pointing to excessive speed

 

[Pushka]

That's the problem with irrational fears... They're not rational.

Hence why we drove 2100km in 24 hours instead of flying after some of the air disasters last year.

Ok. That is a different issue then.

 

[boomy]

Early reports pointing to excessive speed

Yep, 160km in 80km zone.
Probably derailed when it came into a bend in the line. Looks very similar to the Santiago de Compostela crash in 2013.

 

[UP4014]

To reassure people AMTRAK cars are built with the highest buffing loads (car body integrity strength) in the world and can withstand accidents other trains would just disintegrate in.

Matt

 

[Foreigner]

Not good news for travelling public and Amtrak. I suspect busy time ahead for some lawyers with lawsuits soon.

Apparently black box has been recovered. I had believed just commercial airplanes had such.

We made DC to NY return last May. Uneventful trips.

 

[amaroo]

Don't let this accident (looks like negligence) put you off. We've done NYC-DC and loved it .... the kids are hooked on train travel and look forward to their next adventures in Europe later this year.

 

[eric2011]

Amtrak are really scrambling to convey that everything is ok. Ive got an upcoming trip with them and received an email from them reassuring us that all is ok in the camp

 

[drron]

Reports here today that possibly caused by a rock through the window distracting the Engineer.Three other trains in the 10 minutes before the crash had rocks thrown at them at the same spot.
But Amtrak are meant to have had speed limiters installed but had delayed that to year's end.