What caused the 1993 Amtrak Train Crash?

An Amtrak train headed to Miami derails near Mobile, Alabama, killing 47 people on September 22, 1993. The accident, the deadliest in Amtrak’s history, was caused by a negligent towboat operator and foggy conditions.

How many Amtrak crashes have there been?

How often does Amtrak have accidents? The number of fatalities involving Amtrak trains has been rising for the past decade, from 119 in 2008 to 167 last year through November 2017, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Only 12 of those deaths involved passengers aboard trains.

What happened to Willie Odom?

Willie C. Odom, the man who was at the helm of the towboat Mauvilla, told a National Transportation Safety Board hearing that he became lost in the fog as he headed up the Mobile River in the early morning darkness of Sept. 22 with six heavily laden barges.

Has Amtrak ever had an accident?

Six other incidents have caused ten or more deaths: a 1987 collision with freight locomotives in Maryland, a 1971 derailment in Illinois, a 1996 collision with a commuter train in Maryland, a 1999 grade crossing accident in Illinois, a 1977 grade crossing accident in Florida, and a 1998 derailment in Texas.

When was the last Amtrak derailment?

December 18, 2017
Washington Amtrak Train Derailment – December 18, 2017 18, 2017, Amtrak Train 501 derailed on an overpass roughly 50 miles south of Seattle, Washington. The Amtrak derailment resulted in multiple fatalities and left an estimated 100 people with injuries.

Why did the Big Bayou Canot bridge Fail?

Mobile, Alabama, U.S. It was caused by displacement of a span and deformation of the rails when a tow of heavy barges collided with the rail bridge eight minutes earlier. 47 people were killed and 103 more were injured.

When did the Sunset Limited crash?

September 22, 1993

How do you survive a train derailment?

Sit with your back towards the front of the train. Since most trains don’t have seatbelts, this will stop you from being thrown forward during a crash. If the train is about to be hit in a side collision, stay away from the windows and sit in an aisle seat.

What powers Amtrak trains?

Amtrak operates a 60 Hz traction power system along the Northeast Corridor between New Haven, Connecticut, and Boston, Massachusetts. This system was built in the late 1990s and supplies locomotives with power from an overhead catenary system at 25 kV alternating current with a frequency of 60 Hz.

How many people died in the 1993 Amtrak crash?

A barge hit a railroad bridge and minutes later the train hit the bent tracks and plunged into the bayou, killing 47 people and injuring more than 100 others. A string of crashes involving Amtrak trains is rekindling memories for survivors of the passenger service’s 1993 tragedy, its deadliest accident ever.

Where was the train accident that killed 47 people?

An Amtrak train headed to Miami derails near Mobile, Alabama, killing 47 people on September 22, 1993. The accident, the deadliest in Amtrak’s history, was caused by a negligent towboat operator

Where was the train crash in Alabama in 1993?

FILE – This Sept. 22, 1993, file photo shows the wreckage of the Amtrak Sunset Limited train, north of Mobile, Ala. A barge hit a railroad bridge and minutes later the train hit the bent tracks and plunged into the bayou, killing 47 people and injuring more than 100 others.

What was name of Amtrak train that crashed on Bayou Canot?

Since his brother died in the 1993 crash of the Sunset Limited, Tom Russ of Foley had never visited the scene of the accident. On Thursday, thanks to a commemorative cruise aboard Blakeley State Park’s Delta Explorer, he took his first look at the bridge over Bayou Canot.