When the Amtrak train derailed on Tuesday night in Philadelphia it was traveling at over 100 mph, according to investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
That is twice the speed limit for that section of track, a rail yard known as Frankford Junction.
This is a place where numerous rail lines converge, as well as the spot where Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor makes its sharpest turn requiring conductors to limit their speed to 50 mph.
The investigation into exactly what happened remains ongoing as officials analyze the black box data recorders for evidence.
Meanwhile, rescue crews continue to comb through the wreckage searching for survivors–and victims.
So far, 8 people have passed as a result of this deadly derailment while another 200 were treated in area hospitals, specifically Temple University Hospital.
Passengers described the ride as routine until they felt a “bump” and a “crazy shake” causing the train to fly off of the tracks.
Amtrak 188 had been delayed 15 minutes but seemed to be making great time heading into Philadelphia, virtually erasing the delay.
According to data from the black box recorders, the train hit a top speed of 106 mph heading into the final turn.
“Just moments before the derailment,” Mr. Robert Sumwalt of the NTSB said, “the engineer applied full emergency brake application.”
When the data recorder stopped functioning just three seconds later, he added, the speed had only dropped to 102 mph.
Our firm‘s team of investigators and accident reconstructionists is conducting its own investigation into the Amtrak train derailment in conjunction with local, state and federal authorities. Stay tuned for further developments.
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