If you, like us, have been shocked by the recent tragedies surrounding Amtrak accidents we understand. It seems like every other day there is a new massive train wreck in the papers with images of twisted carnage derailed off the tracks drawing almost surreal likenesses to the move The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford.
Unlike the movies however these Amtrak crashes have become a recent reality where serious and often catastrophic injuries and death occur. The speed these trains travel and the length and weight of the cars themselves, often packed with commuters and travelers alike, leaves little margin for error for the train operators.
According to a recent CNN report last Sunday’s train collision in South Carolina was the fourth fatal accident involving an Amtrak since the start of December. According to reports the accident was caused by a track switch that was put in the wrong position, which resulted in the Amtrak train diverting onto the same track as a stopped freight train, causing the train to slam into the freighter at over 50 miles per hour (mph).
This recent collision tragically caused the deaths of two Amtrak employees, the conductor and an engineer, and resulted in more than 100 crew members and passengers being sent to the hospital for emergent medical care.
According to CNN there have been major derailments and collisions in the Virginia, North Carolina and Washington State the past two months with numerous fatalities and serious injuries to passengers and employees. With the recent Amtrak collisions mounting railroad experts have made a push for additional safety measures, however only time will tell whether they are enough to prevent further injuries and death resulting from similar train wrecks.
