The probable cause of the derailment, the NTSB said, “was the truck driver proceeding for unknown reasons into the highway-railroad grade crossing without stopping despite the presence of a stop sign and approaching train.”
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Equipment failures are increasingly responsible for derailments, and problems with equipment and train tracks accounted for nearly 60% of derailments nationwide last year. The number of derailments among major freight railroads has fallen sharply since 2000, data shows.
Queen of The Sea, Sri LankaThe Queen of The Sea train crash in Sri Lanka, caused by the Indian Ocean Tsunami which struck in December 2004, is regarded as the worst train disaster in railroad history after it caused the death of over 1,700 people.
#1 Sri Lanka Tsunami Train WreckThe train, dubbed the Queen of the Sea, was destroyed by the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004, in what is now considered the world's deadliest rail tragedy. It was a holiday weekend in Sri Lanka due to the full moon and the Christmas holiday weekend.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has since said that the derailment appears to have been caused by a mechanical problem on one car, saying a wheel bearing on that car appeared to have overheated.
The train was traveling just below the speed limit of 79 mph (127 kph) when its emergency brakes were activated, the NTSB said. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari declined comment on the track issues raised in the report. A spokesperson with BNSF Railway did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Amtrak is a federally chartered corporation, with the federal government as majority stockholder. The Amtrak Board of Directors is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Amtrak is operated as a for-profit company, rather than a public authority.
Sit in the center-most train carIn the event of sudden braking, the force will direct you back into your seat, instead of sending you flying out of your seat.
The middle of the train is by far the safest for persons. The National Transportation Safety Board does not release comprehensive data on where victims were sitting during fatal train accidents, though some details are available in individual investigative reports.
The safest spot in a train, during an accident, is the center of the train, said Mann, who was the principal author of the Federal Railway Safety Act in 1970. Because if there is a front-end collision or a rear-end collision, the damages will be greater at those locations.
Venice Simplon-Orient-ExpressThe classic midnight blue carriages were decorated by celebrated interior designers such as René Lalique (Dining Car 4141). As the world's most celebrated train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express carries passengers across Europe in the style of a bygone era.
Despite fewer miles being traveled, the rate of derailments has increased in five of the last seven years. The derailment rate among the seven Class I railroads is also higher than it was a decade ago.
The top 5 states with derailments over the last decade are Texas, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The interactive map displays railroad derailments between 2012 and 2023, based on data compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration.