Derailed train approached bend at over 160km/h

A train which derailed at a rail bend in north Philadelphia earlier this week, killing at least seven onboard, was travelling at more than twice the authorised speed at that bend, according to the National Transport Safety Bureau.

“Just moments before the derailment, the train was placed into engineer-induced braking,” NTSB board member Robert J. Sumwalt told the media less than a day after the incident.

“Maximum authorised speed through this curve was 50 miles per hour.

“When the engineer-induced brake application was applied, the train was travelling at approximately 106 miles per hour.

“Three seconds later, when the data to the recorders terminated, the train speed was 102 miles per hour.”

Sumwalt said the figures were preliminary, but indicated there was no reason they would be significantly incorrect. “We’re pretty close on that,” he said.

Sumwalt briefed the media on Wednesday afternoon, local time, roughly 20 hours after Amtrak train 188 derailed on a left turn in Port Richmond, north Philadelphia.

The entire train, consisting of one locomotive and seven passenger cars, derailed. 238 passengers and 5 crew were onboard.

The train had forward-facing video camera and an event recorder. Both have been sent to the NTSB’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“The locomotive and all but two of the train passenger cars are currently being moved to a secure location where detailed examination and documentation can occur,” Sumwalt said.

“Throughout the next few days investigators will work on scene.”

The NTSB will interview the train’s crew and other personnel, as well as passengers of the train. Train control signals will be tested, as well as the systems on the train itself.

“Our mission is to find out not only what happened, but why it happened, so we can prevent it from happening again,” Sumwalt said.

As of Wednesday evening local time, the NTSB had not spoken with the train’s driver, but Sumwalt said it planned on doing so.

“This person has gone through a very traumatic event, and we want to give him the opportunity to convalesce for a day or two … but that is certainly a high priority for us.”