Palmetto - Train 89 Incident

Anyone know anything concerning an incident with train 89 south of Philadelphia?

Chester PA it hit backhoe, two confirmed killed, one injury.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/bre ... 06561.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I posted the following link on the Amtrak ATP thread.

http://blog.amtrak.com/2016/04/update-p ... -train-89/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Local Patch news:

http://patch.com/pennsylvania/westchest ... t-corridor

Photo suggests that backhoe may have hit first coach having being hit by engine?

RIP to the deceased. This is another sad day for Amtrak.

Fox News reported that the 2 dead are the backhoe operators and 4 injuries aboard the train, one life threatening.

Thoughts and prays with the victims and engineer.

This is horrible. While I don't know the area well, I don't see any grade crossings on the maps. Would this mean this backhoe was supposed to be in the area, likely doing track work? I just can't find another way it was on the tracks.

Correct, there are no grade crossings on the NEC and there was MOW work going on. This is indeed very tragic for all involved.

From the looks at some of the pictures of the accident, it looks like the backhoe might have been working the outer track and was fouling the adjacent track. Looks like the locomotive struck the backhoe and spun it back around, hitting the lead car as it went by.

Some of the news I've seen suggests the two MOW employees had over 40 years service. Prayers to their families and for the crew and passengers. I'm sure more details will be forthcoming.

glennk419 wrote:Correct, there are no grade crossings on the NEC and there was MOW work going on. This is indeed very tragic for all involved.

There are 5 or so in Connecticut near 150MPH operations zones, and I hope the familes find out before the media leaks it

Very, very sad news indeed. Thoughts and prayers go out to the families. Don't forget the engineer who I'm sure is having tough time with this as well.

Everyone:

After reading breaking news on this accident this morning and seeking further information:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real ... ester.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.6abc.com/news/2-dead-in-amtr ... d/1274225/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/0 ... suspended/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From seeing pictures of this accident #627 derailed its front truck and suffered significant front end
damage - both front windshields were shattered but intact. This visible damage looks repairable but
perhaps there was internal damage that will be found later. The front end video camera more then
likely will show how this occurred - before the windshield was broken by the impact.

The first Amfleet car 82993 has some damage on one side around two windows - again this looks repairable.

Thankfully the train crew and passengers are accounted for and there were no more then a few perhaps serious
injuries on board the train. My condolences go out to the families of the two MofW Employees that died in this
accident along with the Engineer of Train 89.

MACTRAXX

Train dispatchers are supposed to apply blocking devices on their control panels to prevent the track being occupied by m/w equipment from operating a train between the interlockings on either side of the m/w equipment. Will be interesting to see how the investigation turns out.
Andy

train was not on track being worked on , backhoe was fouling active track .