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RobotRisk / Amtrak / 2017-12-18

Cascades train 501 DuPont, WA derailment - Positive Train Control not yet activated

S5 · 12/18
2017 · 07:34 PT · Amtrak · DuPont, WA, USA

Record

CompanyAmtrak
Categoryother
Typefatality
Date12/18
2017
Time of day07:34 PT
LocationDuPont, WA, USA · DuPont rail bypass
SeverityS5 (fatality or catastrophic loss)
Scale1 train (multiple cars) / 3 fatalities, ~70 injured
Confidencehigh
VerificationYes - adversarially checked against the cited source
SourceNWPB

What happened

Amtrak Cascades train 501 derailed on a curve near DuPont, Washington while traveling 78 mph in a 30 mph zone on a new bypass route; NTSB found the probable cause was the railroad's failure to provide an effective process for managing the transition, compounded by the absence of an activated Positive Train Control (automatic overspeed protection) system. 3 passengers died and dozens were injured.

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other: entries by year

14282017 S1: 12017 S5: 12172019 S3: 11192021 S3: 11212022 S5: 11222023 S3: 12023 S4: 23232024 S1: 22024 S2: 42024 S3: 32024 S4: 72024 S5: 521242025 S1: 12025 S2: 72025 S3: 62025 S4: 82025 S5: 628252026 S1: 12026 S2: 92026 S3: 32026 S4: 22026 S5: 31826
S1S2S3S4S5

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