Amtrak train derails in Missouri, 3 dead - Dump truck scores decisive victory in railroad crossing mishap

Multiple people killed, 50 injured when Amtrak train from Los Angeles to Chicago derails in Missouri​

An Amtrak passenger train lies on its side after derailing near Mendon, Mo.
(Dax McDonald / Associated Press)

By Jonah Valdez,
Grace Toohey
June 27, 2022 Updated 2:58 PM PT


Multiple peopled were killed and at least 50 were injured after an Amtrak train that embarked from Los Angeles and was bound for Chicago was derailed Monday in Missouri, officials said.
Around 12:42 p.m., the train, with at least 243 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, struck a truck that was obstructing a public crossing near Mendon, Mo., Amtrak said. The collision derailed eight cars and two locomotives.
Amtrack initially said there were “early reports of injuries.”
At least 50 people are injured and there are “multiple fatalities” after the Amtrak crash, according to Eric McKenzie, director of the Chariton County Ambulance District, which operates near Mendon. He said he was unable to confirm the number of people who died just yet.
At least three people have been transported to the University Hospital in Columbia, said Eric Maze, a spokesperson with the University of Missouri Health Care system.


California

3 dead, 2 injured after Amtrak train collides with car in East Bay​

26 minutes ago
Mendon is about 84 miles northeast of Kansas City.
Photos shared to social media on Monday showed multiple overturned train cars and passengers climbing out of windows.

Debris sits near railroad tracks after an Amtrak passenger train derailed near Mendon, Mo.
(Dax McDonald/Associated Press)
Among them was Dax McDonald who boarded the Southwest Chief train in Flagstaff, Ariz. Near Mendon, he was looking out the right side of the train and saw a large dump truck moving through a cloud of dust.
He recalled the train continuing to travel at a fast speed
“Then a large bang happened and the train lurched forward,” McDonald said. “Next it began tilting towards the right side before violently slamming to the ground.”
Video he posted to Twitter showed the inside of the train on its side with disheveled passengers sifting through their toppled luggage.


One passenger posted a Facebook Live video just moments after climbing out from the toppled passenger car.
The crash came only one day after another Amtrak train collided with a car in California’s East Bay, killing at least three people. In that instance, there were 85 people onboard; the train was traveling from Stockton to Martinez when the collision occurred. There were no reported injuries among the train passengers and crew, officials said.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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[Pixy]

That's what, a fourth major train derailment across the world within two months now?

 

[Hitman One]

The crash took place at an uncontrolled crossing where the BNSF Railway tracks meet a gravel road. The crossing had no electronic signals to warn traffic, which is common for the area, Dunn said.

Literal third-world shitholes have safer railway infrastructure than this.

 

[Just_Somebody]

The train was going 90mph when the collision occurred, so I'm guessing either it didn't see the truck, the truck driver was a retard, or it was going faster and couldn't slow down enough.

 

[TowinKarz]

The train was going 90mph when the collision occurred, so I'm guessing either it didn't see the truck, the truck driver was a retard, or it was going faster and couldn't slow down enough.

Crossing accidents are ALWAYS the fault of drivers not paying attention. Trains cannot swerve out of the way, nor slow down with anything less than a mile of forewarning, and by law have the right-of-way at all times.

 

[neverendingmidi]

The train was going 90mph when the collision occurred, so I'm guessing either it didn't see the truck, the truck driver was a retard, or it was going faster and couldn't slow down enough.

By the time they could see a truck on the tracks it was going to derail.

Crossing accidents are ALWAYS the fault of drivers not paying attention. Trains cannot swerve out of the way, nor slow down with anything less than a mile of forewarning, and by law have the right-of-way at all times.

Not just human law, the laws of physics wins over all.

 

[Exterminatus]

Crossing accidents are ALWAYS the fault of drivers not paying attention. Trains cannot swerve out of the way, nor slow down with anything less than a mile of forewarning, and by law have the right-of-way at all times.

From what I've heard apparently the Missouri Department of Transportation was going to install some lights and a crossing gate where this happened but hadn't gotten around to it yet. So I wouldn't be surprised to see them catch a lot of flack from this too.

 

[I (Don't) Have A Gun]

That's what, a fourth major train derailment across the world within two months now?

If wikipedia is to be believed there's been 5 just this month. But I guess it comes down to what you mean by major.

 

[Coccxys]

That's what, a fourth major train derailment across the world within two months now?

I mean I'm not usually one for referencing Atlas Shrugged but...

 

[Xarpho]

Literal third-world shitholes have safer railway infrastructure than this.

The USA is a huge place and especially out in the sticks, there are railroad crossings that are just marked with signage without gates or lights. Normally, railroad crossings have a "crossbucks" sign with either lights or gates, but some crossings lack both. Several years back, the manual of railroad signage made Yield signs go up on the ones without lights, and this one was almost certainly upgraded.

You could say that an Amtrak mainline needed priority, but at the same time, this crossing was presumably able to go decades without incident. Plus, it is also law for commercial trucks and buses to stop at all railroad crossings unless they're specifically marked as exempt (which is for either functionally abandoned or extremely infrequent spurs).

 

[TowinKarz]

Plus, it is also law for commercial trucks and buses to stop at all railroad crossings unless they're specifically marked as exempt (which is for either functionally abandoned or extremely infrequent spurs).

Kinda. It only applies to passenger busses and tagged HAZMAT cargo.

Someone hauling propane, or sulfuric acid has to stop, but a load of pumpkin spice latte mix doesn't unless the lights are going off or the train has sounded it's horn/whistle.

Otherwise, spot-on.

US322 near Lewistown, PA has the only level-grade crossing I've ever seen on an actual 4 lane divided highway.

It's an infrequently used spur that serves a scrap yard and mill on the other side, and, as you pointed out, it's tagged "EXEMPT" so trucks hauling along at 70mph don't come around the corner behind you in that shot and suddenly have to slam on the brakes, they can skip it as long as nothing is crossing.

It's kinda neat, they have HUGE billboard-sized signs about a half-mile back from the track, both directions, with built-in amber warning lights that say "CROSSING AHEAD - TRAIN WHEN FLASHING" to give you a heads-up.

They can't get rid of it because there just isn't the real estate to build a bridge/tunnel for the road, and the railroad can't be elevated either becasue there's another set of tracks for a different railroad it passes over that run parallel to the existing freeway alignment.

Until the industries it serves shuts down, it's a fascinating anomaly here to stay.

 

[Cheesegirl78]

I'm a train geek, and watch several of the live cams.

You would be surprised at the number of people that drive around the gates, or pedestrians that get tired of waiting and cross between the rail cars.

One particular video I watched was a dumbass in a semi that just drove through the crossing, breaking off the crossing arm, and sending a two mile long freight train doing 50 into an emergency stop.
Truck went on its merry way, I have no idea if the driver was cited.

There's another video of an Amish family playing on an active rail line when an NS train comes through. You have no idea how fast those things move. The kids had about 13 seconds to get out of the way. I can't link on my phone, go on YouTube and search "Amish family on tracks". The parents were cited in that case.

Ok, no more train sperging.

 

[get_ur_gamon]

Why do people just not wait? Is their time really that important? If a lift was not coming fast enough would you just forced the doors open and try and climb down the shaft?

Good things come to those who wait.

 

[TowinKarz]

If a lift was not coming fast enough would you just forced the doors open and try and climb down the shaft?

Well.....

 

[Cheesegirl78]

Why do people just not wait? Is their time really that important? If a lift was not coming fast enough would you just forced the doors open and try and climb down the shaft?

Good things come to those who wait.

Idiots that think a train can stop on a dime.
Your average diesel locomotive weights between 210-220 TONS before fuel. And considering the weight of the locomotive fuel, and the weight of the cars, and the loads in those cars, and you understand why it takes some trains well over a mile to stop.

 

[Car Won't Crank]

Idiots that think a train can stop on a dime.
Your average diesel locomotive weights between 210-220 TONS before fuel. And considering the weight of the locomotive fuel, and the weight of the cars, and the loads in those cars, and you understand why it takes some trains well over a mile to stop.

You would think people get a sense of the immense mass and energy contained in moving train just by feeling the ground rumble under you as a typical 4-6 car set even begins acceleration out of a station but nope.

 

[Xarpho]

You would think people get a sense of the immense mass and energy contained in moving train just by feeling the ground rumble under you as a typical 4-6 car set even begins acceleration out of a station but nope.

If you’ve ever stood near tracks as a pedestrian those things are incredibly huge and incredibly fast. If it can destroy a truck, just think of what it does to a human.

That journo on a bike that played chicken with a train a few months back did not have an open casket funeral, I can say that much.

 

[Clockwork_PurBle]

How could Amtrak Joe do this?

 

[Retink]

That's what, a fourth major train derailment across the world within two months now?

It happens way more than you'd think. I remember there was a year where I would commute by train and I remember one time there was a derailment that injured a bunch of people and caused three hour delays.

 

[Cheesegirl78]

If you’ve ever stood near tracks as a pedestrian those things are incredibly huge and incredibly fast. If it can destroy a truck, just think of what it does to a human.

That journo on a bike that played chicken with a train a few months back did not have an open casket funeral, I can say that much.

There's an old video, if you find it uncut, of a couple walking across a crossing that has the gates down.
There was a train stopped to board passengers, so they assumed that's why the gates/bell were on, not realizing there was a freight train coming up next to to stopped one.
The man saw the train in time, but the woman didn't and was struck.
The was someone doing video of the stopped train, and the video caught her body being thrown like a ragdoll about 50 feet, and hitting the camera and tripod. And from what I remember, it was a glancing blow by the train, she hadn't even stepped directly in front of it. I don't want to think of the results if it was a full-on hit.