SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Report: At least 6 dead after Amtrak train derails from bridge onto Interstate 5 near Olympia
Several people were killed Monday morning when an Amtrak train derailed and fell off a bridge over Interstate 5 near Mounts Road between Lakewood and Olympia. The Associated Press, citing an unnamed U.S. official, reported that at least six people were killed in the crash. Gov. Jay Inslee has called a state of emergency in response to the derailment.
Pierce County Sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer told news media that there were fatalities on the train and that motorists had been injured, but not killed. A total of 77 people were sent to hospitals in Pierce and Thurston counties, according to CHI Franciscan Health, which operates numerous hospitals in Western Washington. Four of the injured are "level red" patients, with critical injuries. The injured are being taken to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, St. Claire Hospital in Lakewood, St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor and Tacoma General Hospital and Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.
There were 78 passengers and five crew members on the train when it derailed, according to Amtrak.
The train was running on a new, faster service route using a new bypass. This was the first day that the new route was used.
Also at CNN. Amtrak statement about service disruption.
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Tuesday December 19 2017, @06:04AM (4 children)
The rails, ties, ballast, signals were all rebuilt. It was part of a two State project, for which Sound Transit acted as the local project contractor in exchange for future trackage rights.
The roadbed and overpasses existed for decades, and we're mostly disused of late.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 5, Informative) by kazzie on Tuesday December 19 2017, @11:05AM (1 child)
Replacing the bridge would probably have been very expensive, so it would have been refurbished instead (checked it's structurally sound). This means that the railway's alignment over the bridge is quite tight, effectively a chicane. See this picture for the curve on approach to the bridge (and the 30mph speed limit sign): (screenshot [vgy.me])
(Score: 3, Interesting) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday December 19 2017, @04:43PM
Man, that's a hairpin for a train travelling 129kmh.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 19 2017, @03:14PM (1 child)
You aren't politicizing a tragedy, are you?
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday December 19 2017, @05:19PM
Wait until people realize that the driver used a Deadly Weapon that was somewhat concealed ...