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G'day BW,
I have scrounged the 2008 CSX Time Table for the Florence Division, which includes the Columbia Subdivision.
I have also scrounged a satellite image map covering the location of the incident, naturally shot well before the collision.
I now know the exact location of the incident, The Silica siding and Auto (cars) ramp sidings at Dixiana.
Passenger train track speed being 60 MPH through this section (according to the 2008 TT).
Reducing to 45 MPH just south of the sidings, I presume for a curve.
The Silica siding, on which the empty Auto rack freighter was stabled diverges to the west side of the single Main Line.
The Auto ramp sidings diverging to the east side of the single track Main Line.
Due to the ABS signal system being suspended for trackwork, Amtrak 91 would have held numerous DTC Block authorities.
Including DTC Block Gaston in which this siding exists.
The train Conductor being in the loco cab to scribble down the various DTC block authorities en route.
Had only the Engineer been up front, the train would need to stop each time that a newbie authority was required.
If the CSX freighter was northbound, as indicated by the location of the locomotives, I wonder why it reversed into the siding.
A south end switch also granting access to the Silica siding.
Possibly other rolling stock may have occupied the southern end of the Silica siding.
Incident photos scrounged on the www don't display the south end of the siding.
Possibly the freighter was southbound, and the locomotives were run-around the train prior to stabling after entering the siding.
Shunting into the Auto ramp sidings is only possible from the north end.
Southbound Amtrak 91 encountered the switch lined into the Silica siding.
It travelled for approximately 6 car lengths, a guestimate of 500 feet and collided with the locomotives of the freighter.
Vision of the freighter may have been partially occluded by the overpass bridge of highway 321.
The CSX locomotives parked just south of this bridge, stabled thereby a blackout classification lights wise.
And travelling probably at the permitted sectional speed of 60 MPH, would not have stopped in time to avoid the collision.
Hitting the switch at high speed would have unsettled and confused the head-end crew.
And, if I am reading the 2013 Amtrak schedule correctly, train 91 would have been traversing this area at around 2 AM.
OK, some facets of this may have altered since the 2008 TT and 2013 Amtrak schedule.
A press announcement yesterday has potential serious ramifications for the Du Pont Amtrak 501 derailment in december.
Plus, could also impact on this Amtrak 91 collision.
Originally, the Amtrak Engineer involved in the 2015 Philadelphia high speed derailment was cleared of criminal charges.
The incident determined as an accident.
However, another court has again indicted the Engineer filing for criminal charges.
The Amtrak Northeast Regional hitting a 50 MPH curve at 106 MPH naturally went bush.
A knee-jerk reaction to this 2015 prang was the demand for seatbelts to be installed in all long haul passenger trains.
E GADs, what an infrastructural nightmare would be imposed by having seatbelts in trains.
Yes, I know that here in NSW, long haul omnibusses possess seatbelts.
The "Coach captain" only being able to observe via his inside rearvision mirror if cattle have not click-clacked.
So, the go is to perch in a seat behind a large framed person to occlude the coach captains' view.
Conductor to the passenger sitting in seat 35 car B, my annunciator panel indicates that you have not click-clacked.
This train does not depart until you have click-clacked.
YEH RIGHT.
Hopefully, this latest criminal indictment will go the way of the previous indictment, plus seatbelts demand.
Yes, people were killed and many injured.
But, the Engineer didn't hurl his train around a curve at double the speed on purpose.
He simply forgot where he was, being distracted when passing another train having reported an emergency situation.
Steve.
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