Derailing May 12 about 9:30 pm [EST] at Port Richmond, Penn., Amtrak Northeast Regional 188 train carrying 238 passengers and five crew, including the engineer, going from Washington D.C. to New York’s Penn Station, spun off the tracks at high speed at an expected curve. As the National Transportation and Safety Board, FBI and other federal agencies comb through the mangled wreckage, at least seven passengers lost their lives with 12 others in critical condition. NTSB officials recovered the train’s data recorder indicating the 2014 Siemens-built train derailed into the curve at 106 mph, far exceeding the 50 mph limit. “There’s no way in the world that he should have been going that fast into the curve,” said Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter. Nutter confirmed that the engineer Brandon Bostian refused to give police a statement following the deadly incident.
Refusing to give the police a statement with his attorney present, the Bostian opens himself up to even more suspicion. “Clearly, he was reckless and irresponsible in his actions. I don’t know what was going on with him. I don’t know what was going on in the cab, but there’s really no excuse that could be offered,” said Nutter, dumbfounded by the worst train disaster in nearly seven years. While the NTSB is busy combing through the wreckage for every clue, the engineer refuses to give any statement to the police. NTSB member Robert T. Sumwalt confirmed that the Bostian applied full emergency braking into the curve that could have worsened the accident, spinning the train off the tracks. “We will not cease our effort until we go through every vehicle,” said Nutter, watching authorities examine the mangled wreckage for more possible human remains.
Yesterday’s train wreck was near the same spot as the deadliest wreck in U.S. history in 1943 where 79 passengers lost their lives. Measured at as much as 107 mph before hitting the deadly curve, Amtrak confirmed that the GPS technology known as Positive Train Control, using wireless and computers to prevent trains from exceeding the speed limit, was not installed. Amtrak officials confirmed that the section of track around the crash site had been inspected only hours before and found safe. Asked about the engineer identified as 32-year-old Brandon Bostian, Sumwalt said he was giving him more time to recuperate from an apparent head injury requiring 17 stitches at the Temple Emergency Room. Bostian’s attorney apparently told authorities that his client didn’t recall what happened. Without blood tests or a methodical interview, it’s difficult to get into Bostian’s head.
Whatever happened, it’s clear he put the pedal-metal, taking the train to dangerously high speeds before hitting the curve and derailing the train. NTSB officials will want to find out his state of mind at the time of the accident, especially if he was on any drugs or alcohol, dozing, talking or texting on his cell-phone or his exact mental status before and after the incident. Crashing only 10 minutes from Philly’s 30th St. Station, all seven Simens’ passenger cars derailed, hurling passengers and luggage through the passenger cabins. Surviving passenger, 27-year-old Jillian Jorgensen—a reporter for the New York Observer—sat in the second car from the engine, was thrown across the cabin when the train derailed. Jorgensen noted that the train was going too fast into the curve before it derailed. “The scene in the car I was in was total disarray, and people were clearly in a great deal of pain,” said Jorgensen.
Voting down legislation that would have increased funding to Amtrak, House Republicans don’t agree with the NTSB assessment that the accident would not have occurred had they had Positive Train Control installed. “We don’t know the circumstances of this accident—we don’t know what caused it,” said Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), urging Republicans to reconsider Amtrak funding. With the government encouraging citizens to get out of their gas-guzzling cars, use more trains and light rail, it only makes sense to upgrade the country’s antiquated rail system. Even if Bostian were asleep at the switch, drunk or on drugs, it still pays to invest tax dollars in infrastructure projects, especially upgrading the nation’s rail system. When a Metro North train derailed outside New York City in 2013 killing four, injuring 50, the engineer dozed off, going too fast into a similar curve.
Whatever happened to derail Amtrak Northeast Train 188, it looks a lot like engineer negligence, much like the dozing engineer that derailed the Amtrak train north of New York City in 2013. Refusing to answer questions, Bostian has a lot of explaining to do hitting a dangerous curve at about 106 mph. “It’s incredible that so many people walked away from the scene last night,” said Nutter, looking for more answers, especially from Bostian. Seven deaths and over 100 injuries shows that even the safest forms of transportation carry risks. While there’s nothing wrong with spending more on infrastructure, it won’t prevent operator negligence, whether due to sleep deprivation, alcohol or drug abuse or some other type of mental illness. Carrying over 11.5 million passengers a year, Amtrak deserves the necessary resources to upgrade safety systems and screen better for competent engineers.
