Southwest Chief Derailed in KS 03/14 early AM

[PRR 60]

An NTSB team is on their way to Kansas. That means that nothing will be done to clear the wreckage until the team arrives, investigates and release the site for repair. We're probably looking at the Kansas line being closed for multiple days. The good news (for opening the line) is that BNSF can mobilize manpower, equipment and materials at the site and will be ready to go once the NTSB gives them the green light.

 

[Jennifer]

So.. I am traveling on the SWC on Wednesday, 16th Chicago to ABQ. And now this derailment. I see on the Amtrak site that the train will be detoured from Newton to ABQ and I've read the thread on the members forum. My question is: will this make the journey many hours longer? A few hours? And what about equipment? Does amtrak have other carriages they can use? We have a sleeper booked.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[CoachSlumber]

I'm due out on No. 3 from Chicago Tuesday with my service dog. I've seen one report that the Chief will be rerouted from Newton, Kansas, to Albuquerque. This may require some negotiation with the conductors about a site between Newton and Albuquerque where the dog can get some fresh air, so to speak.

A friend scheduled to go out of Chicago today says they are bustituting that segment westbound. Of course she is highly disappointed.

 

[Chas]

From Gray County, Kansas, Emergency Management:

Update on Southwest Chief Train 4~From Amtrak

March 14, 2016 5:49 a.m.

Just after midnight CT, Amtrak Southwest Chief Train 4, operating from Los Angeles to Chicago, derailed several coaches approximately 20 miles west of Dodge City, Kan., on track owned and maintained by BNSF.

There were approximately 128 passengers and 14 crew members on board the train that had two locomotives and nine cars.

Local emergency responders provided on-site response, with approximately 29 passengers transported to hospitals in Dodge City and Garden City. All other passengers were transported to the 4-H Recreation Center in Cimarron, Kan., and will be provided alternate transportation to their final destination. The Red Cross and other relief agencies are on-site providing assistance to those passengers.

Persons with questions about their friends and family aboard this train have a special number to call for information: 800-523-
9101.

Amtrak is working with BNSF to investigate the cause of the incident.

Amtrak Southwest Chief Train 3, operating from Chicago to Los Angeles will detour from Newton, Kan., to Albuquerque, N.M., for trains originating March 13 and 14. Alternate transportation is being arranged.

 

[cirdan]

Did this happen on the section that BNSF was trying to abandon not long ago?

Maybe that would explain poor track condition?

 

[Eric S]

This would be on the section that BNSF has not been trying to abandon but has downgraded in recent years, although there is funding in place and work has supposedly begun to bring the track back to higher standards. (At least I don't recall that the KS section was in jeopardy of abandonment, I thought that was in CO-NM instead.)

 

[Paul CHI]

Haven't ridden that area for a while, but on my last trip through there I was amazed how rough the track was.

 

[George K]

Engineer saw "a bend" in the rail.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/latest-amtrak-train-derails-southwest-kansas-37626088

 

[AmtrakBlue]

heard what he called "a lot of clacking for about 20 minutes"

Might not that have been the disjointed rail. Clickty-clack, clickity-clack.

 

[Cina]

heard what he called "a lot of clacking for about 20 minutes"

Might not that have been the disjointed rail. Clickty-clack, clickity-clack.

That's what I'm thinkin'. If the track is really that bad through that stretch, it could be people just feeling that before the derailment happened.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Sounds like a simple track issue. Cross ties gave out. Train fell between and tip over.

 

[Bierboy]

More on the "significant bend in the rail"...emergency brakes hit before derailment.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/03/14/injuries-reported-after-amtrak-train-derails-in-kansas.html?intcmp=hplnws

 

[PRR 60]

Edited topic title to reflect multiple published reports that the derailment occurred just after midnight on March 14.

 

[A Voice]

More on the "significant bend in the rail"...emergency brakes hit before derailment.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/03/14/injuries-reported-after-amtrak-train-derails-in-kansas.html?intcmp=hplnws

A rather poorly written article, but thanks for the link. Does any news agency employ professional journalists anymore?

 

[printman2000]

Amtrak heading to Amarillo and I just left town for the week.

I am on the road right now so I may have missed it, but are there any pics of the whole train? I have only seen the one showing what looks like the last two cars.

 

[Thirdrail7]

Thank goodness no one was killed. Luck is a big part of this.

 

[C855B]

Also: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-amtrak-derailment-20160314-story.html

This is the same AP article as the Fox piece, so go figure.

 

[Bierboy]

Could the application of the emergency brake have caused the derailment if the brake malfunctioned?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Could the application of the emergency brake have caused the derailment if the brake malfunctioned?

I would imagine if they had not applied the brakes, things would have been a lot worse when they hit the bad rail at speed.

 

[Bierboy]

Could the application of the emergency brake have caused the derailment if the brake malfunctioned?

I would imagine if they had not applied the brakes, things would have been a lot worse when they hit the bad rail at speed.

What if the engineer didn't see what he says he saw...in other words, he may have thought there was a bent rail, but perhaps there wasn't. Could the application of the emergency brake have caused a problem given that the rail condition was fine?

 

[CCC1007]

Could the application of the emergency brake have caused the derailment if the brake malfunctioned?

I would imagine if they had not applied the brakes, things would have been a lot worse when they hit the bad rail at speed.

What if the engineer didn't see what he says he saw...in other words, he may have thought there was a bent rail, but perhaps there wasn't. Could the application of the emergency brake have caused a problem given that the rail condition was fine?

the emergency brake is a tool of last resort, and is only applied when all other options have been exhausted.

 

[Bierboy]

Could the application of the emergency brake have caused the derailment if the brake malfunctioned?

I would imagine if they had not applied the brakes, things would have been a lot worse when they hit the bad rail at speed.

What if the engineer didn't see what he says he saw...in other words, he may have thought there was a bent rail, but perhaps there wasn't. Could the application of the emergency brake have caused a problem given that the rail condition was fine?

the emergency brake is a tool of last resort, and is only applied when all other options have been exhausted.

All due respect, that doesn't answer my question. Could it cause a derailment?

 

[keelhauled]

All due respect, that doesn't answer my question. Could it cause a derailment?

I suppose anything is possible, which makes it hard to say definitively that it couldn't be the cause, but if you use an emergency brake under normal conditions and your train crashes there has to be more to it than just applying the brake. Trains going into emergency braking is fairly common, and it doesn't generally end with a derailment.

 

[chakk]

Extremely unlikely that emergency brake application on a passenger train would cause a derailment. I experienced such an application on the CZ when traveling 70 mph near Fruita, Colorado.

Only results were lots of brake shoe burning smell -- and the engineer needed a clean pair of underwear. We stayed on the rails, and missed hitting the 18-wheeler by THAT much.

 

[Seaboard92]

I'm not an engineer so I can't comment on to what can and cannot happen. But I have heard of cases one in Maryland where I believe it was the case. And I'm going to say track geometry might have something to do with it.