Amtrak passenger train collides with freight train in SC, injuries reported

[mahatmakanejeeves]

23. Link to an article at Trains magazine and at The State:

Last edited Mon Feb 5, 2018, 03:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Hat tip, commenter Robyn Watt at Joe.My.God, who, I gather, is a railfan who grew up a few miles from where the collision occurred: http://www.joemygod.com/2018/02/04/south-carolina-least-two-dead-dozens-injured-amtrak-collision-freight-train-video/

UPDATE: NTSB: Misaligned switch directed 'Silver Star' into parked CSX autorack train

By R G Edmonson, Steve Sweeney | February 4, 2018

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The head of the National Transportation Safety Board says a misaligned switch is the immediate reason Amtrak’s southbound Silver Star collided with a parked CSX Transportation freight train early Sunday, killing two people and injuring dozens. Investigators say they’ll now try and find out why the switch was misaligned.

NTSB Chariman Robert L. Sumwalt III told media in a Sunday afternoon news conference that a manual switch was aligned and locked in position for a siding off the CSX Transportation main line near Cayce, S.C. The alignment led the New York City to Miami Silver Star into a CSX autorack train that was parked on a siding.

One locomotive and seven passenger cars collided with the freight train of 34 empty autoracks and two locomotives. The allowable maximum speed for the main line in the area is 59 mph. Eight Amtrak employees were on the train at the time, and 116 of 136 passengers were treated for injuries. There is no information on whether a CSX crew was present.

Officials identified the victims as engineer Michael Kempf, 54, of Savannah, Ga., and conductor Michael Cella, 36, of Jacksonville, Fla.

ETA, 3:24 p.m.:

Fatal train crash puts spotlight on CSX railroad crew

2:35 PM