Philadelphia Amtrak Train Crash and Derailment - An Analysis
Precisely what happened in the Philadelphia train crash and derailment? It was stated, at least, initially, that the crash was the result of human error. 'The train was going too fast around the cure, over twice the established limit,' it was repeatedly reported. Some 106 mph was the reported speed in a 50 mph zone.
Now, it is being reported that the train was possibly struck by a projectile or at least this is what is being presumed. The area which was struck, it is claimed, is the engine windshield, left window. Nevertheless, it is clear that the derailment did result in association with excessive speed, too much for the train-rail system to handle.
The eyewitness or passenger accounts are consistent, as demonstrated by the following interview:
The reports of Ms. Davitz and Mr. Kutler are compellingly similar. With that degree of force of impact it is astonishing that they survived with such minimal injuries.
Consistently, the passengers have reported that the felt like the train at one point was floating in the air, even flying, as it became separated from the track. There is nothing about this that is anything other than a real tragedy. It is a virtual miracle that the death count wasn't higher.
Witness Davitz stated that people started noticing that other people were injured: that is injured extremities such as arms, legs, and hips, which makes sense considering the scope of the crash. Even so, since there are such a wide number of varying stories regarding the cause of the crash, let us evaluate what is seen, pictorially, to determine if any revelations can be made.
Let us begin with the engine. It can be seen that it fully left the rail and came to rest against a certain track.
As it barreled off the track it made a grove in the earth and then came to rest, after bending as a result of its weight and force the dense metal rails of the neighboring track:
A poster, here, guided this site to review the overhead views in order to correct the initial assessment. An apology is issued to the victims of the train crash in that regard. Regardless, it is clearly and categorically demonstrated, here, that this represents a real high-speed derailment of Amtrak engine with its full compliment of cars. Those highly dense, powerful rails are nearly pressed together by the force of that impact.
The engine came to rest, here, as a result of those trestle tracks. Notice the side-swipe or impact damage, fresh as it is, on the side of the engine. There was even greater damage to the passenger cars, some more than others:
The catastrophic damage to certain cars led to fatalities, along with severe injuries, including broken bones, concussions, and lacerations.
Notice the heavy grooving in the earth from the weight impact of the engine and various cars. It is likely that the engine also departed the track in that area, making the deep grove.
A similar accident occurred in 2013, in this case when an Amtrak engineered nodded at the helm, leading to, once again, a derailment on a curve:
December 2013: After a Metro-North engineer nodded off, the train derailed, killing four and injuring 75.
It has been stated repeatedly that in this newer case the engineer, Brandon Bostian, may have been at fault. Yet, there is no definitive evidence established proving this to be the case:
A colleague, Michael Callahan, who says he trained Mr. Bostian and fully knows the route, disputes the claim that the engineer is to blame.
Callanan says he used to work on Train 188 about 5 years ago, trained the conductor who was on the train at the time, and has worked the exact route the train was taking when it derailed earlier this week.
"My take on the whole thing is there must have been impact on the window to get that kind of damage," Callanan tells ABC Action News in an interview recorded overnight in Tampa. "The whole train, including the engine, has what we call "FRA Type II glazing," which is essentially bullet-proof glass, throughout the whole train. So it takes a lot of force to even crack the window," Callanan said. "And when I saw that on the right-hand side of the engine, it looks like it struck something and I don't think it was the guy hitting his head."
He may well be right. It's the standard rush to judgement or, perhaps, manipulation of events for the sake of sensationalism alone.
Here is the involved engine. The NTSB seems to be making reference to the circular damage, right screen or left side of the windshield. There are two damage sites there, as if two projectiles were thrown. The damage on the right side is likely related to direct impact of that side of the engine after the derailment. Notice the loss of the component of the front body.
Here is essentially the same engine. There are no circular damage points on the windshield.
Yet, such damage points are clearly seen in the following image:
This is not a 'natural' part of the windshield. Something truly did impact that windshield. What was it? It would appear that it was a highly dense object, more likely a stone or brick than anything else: not likely a bullet.
The same circular pattern is seen here in regard to this man's vehicle which was stoned from an overpass with bricks.
The stone/brick impact theory may well be proven to be true. If this, then, happened just before the crash, surely it would have played a role in the end result. The forces of impact would be great. Where they great enough to knock out or disrupt the engineer to such a degree as to cause the crash?
There is a prolonged history of the commission of so-called pranks by youngsters or others that could put lives in danger:
The information here is still presumptive. To be updated as more information becomes available.
NOTE: This Website issues a major correction for the absolutely erroneous post represented previously. By no means was this anything other than a human catastrophe. An apology is issued to the mayor and any others who were represented in a less than favorable light based on the wrong presumptions of the now purged article.
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