CSX collison in Folkston, GA affecting Silvers and Auto Train

[Cal]

Happened in Folkston Georgia

 

[Fenu S]

On the railcam you could hear the explosion like sound as they hit. Hopefully everyone is okay.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Amtrak does travel by Folkston,Georgia.
There is multiple route in the area. One thinks it happen on a non-Amtrak route due the PTC (positive train control) requirements of passenger trains.

 

[moosejunky99]

Looks like this derailment is messing up with these routes.

 

[moosejunky99]

 

[west point]

All single stack train.

 

[slasher-fun]

On the railcam you could hear the explosion like sound as they hit. Hopefully everyone is okay.

Video:

 

[GDRRiley]

Amtrak does travel by Folkston,Georgia.
There is multiple route in the area. One thinks it happen on a non-Amtrak route due the PTC (positive train control) requirements of passenger trains.

the line has PTC, its got way to much traffic to not have PTC.

 

[RebelRider]

the line has PTC, its got way to much traffic to not have PTC.

There was a signal suspension in place, thus PTC was not operating. Trains were operating under paper authority from the dispatcher. The switches at Folkston were being handled by a switch tender, also under direction of the dispatcher, verses every train stopping to line their route. It appears the switch tender made a mistake. I'm sure we'll have a detailed NTSB report in a year or so.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Someone made a mistake.
Dispatcher.
Switch tender.
Train personnel.

Also the mode of communication could have been an issue. Radio vs cell.

Radio traffic would be heavy, complicated but others could catch mistakes and prevent accidents. Cell phone is limited to those on the line. Maybe with a tape recorder to provide the investigators with facts.

Running paper or dark territory requires a certain set of skills to be dusted off. That may of been taught years ago, and never used since.

 

[jis]

Another time CSX had issues during signal suspension was when they managed to run the Silver Star into a freight a few years back. Fortunately this time there was no passenger train involved.

 

[WWW]

Another time CSX had issues during signal suspension was when they managed to run the Silver Star into a freight a few years back. Fortunately this time there was no passenger train involved.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayce,_South_Carolina,_train_collision

CAUTION NOTE this accident happened in 2018 and not to be confused with this current freight accident !

Haven't pinned it down exactly where this happened ?
Reference Google Map:
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.8413307,-82.0126327,3175m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

Folkston GA is bottom centered in image - suspect accident happened at junction of tracks centered in image ?

 

[alanh]

Yes, that's the location. The train was going north on the west branch and hit a stopped train on the right track, going by the news footage. It went through two switches. It was either supposed to be on the left track (first switch set wrong) or on the east branch (second switch set wrong).