Investigators seek cause of deadly Montana train derailment

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

JOPLIN, Mont. (AP) — Federal investigators are seeking the cause of an Amtrak train derailment near a switch on tracks in the middle of vast farmland in far northern Montana that killed three people and left seven hospitalized over the weekend.

The westbound Empire Builder was traveling from Chicago to Seattle when it left the tracks about 4 p.m. Saturday near Joplin, a town of about 200. Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams said the train was carrying about 141 passengers and 16 crew members. It had two locomotives and 10 cars, eight of which derailed, with some tipping onto their sides.

Trevor Fossen was first on the scene. The Joplin resident was on a dirt road near the tracks Saturday when he saw “a wall of dust” hundreds of feet high.

“I started looking at that, wondering what it was and then I saw the train had tipped over and derailed,” said Fossen, who called 911 and started trying to get people out. He called his brother to bring ladders for people who couldn’t get down after exiting through the windows of cars resting on their sides.

https://apnews.com/article/business-montana-amtrak-d33d78d5aa0da2abf8124162ed6b678f

[Binkie The Clown]

1. I took that very same train 8 years ago and in Montana I saw...

...a stretch of track that really freaked me out, There were a string of freight cars laying on their side next to the tracks. I have no idea if that was the same location, but I remember being really shook up about the tracks in Montana.

[Klaralven]

2. It happened at a switch about 2 miles west of Joplin, MT

The switch is at 48°33'29.8"N 110°48'56.1"W

Before the switch, the tract curves to the right when proceeding westbound. Beyond the switch, there is a side track along the main track and they both make a sweeping curve to the left. The sidetrack continues until 48°33'21.4"N 110°51'24.7"W

BNSF has implemented Positive Train Control on the Hi-Line, and Amtrak engines should be equipped, so speed around the curve before the derailment should not be a factor.