Full Version: Amtrak 'Southwest Chief' derailment in Kansas
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Occurred overnight near Milepost 373 a few miles west of Cimmaron, Kan. Multiple non-life-threatening injuries are reported:

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Maybe AMTRAK needs to put some money into track maintenance?
MountainMan Wrote:Maybe AMTRAK needs to put some money into track maintenance?
I was thinking the same thing... Too many incidents all of a sudden over the past few years....
I (stupid?) question:
Has Amtrak it's own tracks/right of way except at some passenger stations? I assumed they have tracking rights only and run their trains over UP, BNSF, CSX..... tracks.
Quote:Maybe AMTRAK needs to put some money into track maintenance?

If you read the news article it says BNSF owns the track. Amtrak rents the track they pay a fee per axle mile. Where does it say it was a track failure? The last time VIA had a derailment in my part of CANADA it was a burnt off axle bearing on their locomotive not CNs track.
faraway Wrote:I (stupid?) question:
Has Amtrak it's own tracks/right of way except at some passenger stations? I assumed they have tracking rights only and run their trains over UP, BNSF, CSX..... tracks.

Amtrak owns trackage in the Northeast, Michigan, and passenger terminals throughout the country. However, the overwhelming majority of its mileage is owned and maintained by another entity.
railohio Wrote:
faraway Wrote:I (stupid?) question:
Has Amtrak it's own tracks/right of way except at some passenger stations? I assumed they have tracking rights only and run their trains over UP, BNSF, CSX..... tracks.

Amtrak owns trackage in the Northeast, Michigan, and passenger terminals throughout the country. However, the overwhelming majority of its mileage is owned and maintained by another entity.

And most railroads would rather see Amtrak go away.
Prairie Trains Wrote:
Quote:Maybe AMTRAK needs to put some money into track maintenance?

If you read the news article it says BNSF owns the track. Amtrak rents the track they pay a fee per axle mile. Where does it say it was a track failure? The last time VIA had a derailment in my part of CANADA it was a burnt off axle bearing on their locomotive not CNs track.

Doesn't relieve AMTRAK of their responsibility to operate safely.
MountainMan so you are saying that even though you pay for the roads you drive on though taxes you should hire and pay for the crews that maintain those roads out of your own pocket when the government does not do it because it's your responsibility to drive on safe roads. I bet your local government would love to heir your idea. I also doubt that there is a court in your country that would say that maintaining BNSF's track is Amtrak's responsibility.

I read that BNSF inspects that track twice a week. So it should be up to government transport standards. Was there extremely hot weather that day that caused a sun kink?
I was under the impression that a car accident on the grade crossing (not involving any trains) had damaged the track a little while before the train arrived. Apparently this damage went unreported.

Edit:

A feed truck dragged the rails over a whole foot. Can't say it's Amtrak's fault, nor BNSF. The truck driver either didn't know or didn't own up.
Prairie Trains Wrote:MountainMan so you are saying that even though you pay for the roads you drive on though taxes you should hire and pay for the crews that maintain those roads out of your own pocket when the government does not do it because it's your responsibility to drive on safe roads. I bet your local government would love to heir your idea. I also doubt that there is a court in your country that would say that maintaining BNSF's track is Amtrak's responsibility.

I read that BNSF inspects that track twice a week. So it should be up to government transport standards. Was there extremely hot weather that day that caused a sun kink?

No...I'm specifically saying that you operate at safe speeds for existing conditions. Only a moron does 80 on a badly rutted dirt road, and only a moronic railroad goes top speed on tracks not set up for it. The responsibility to operate safely is on AMTRAK.

We've had some experience with AMTRAK in Colorado wanting us to pay a huge amount of money to upgrade tracks in order for them to race through our state without stopping anywhere useful. AMTRAK, in case you are unaware, is paid for out of taxpayer money by our government, so they can upgrade for themselves without seeking millions from state taxpayers to pay for services NOT provided in the first place.
BNSF operates their trains at high speed through the flatland's in the Midwest. The tracks on the BNSF are designed to be safe to operate at speeds of 100 mph except in mountain passes where they are forced by the topography to put in curves that slow the trains down. Checking track twice a week should insure that the track is good. I'm sure that they also check track anytime that there is a flood or other disaster that would cause damage to the right of way. If a truck drags something over the track that damages the track, the trucking company is liable for the damage. There is no way to watch all of the track on the BNSF mainline constantly. Amtrak owns track in the Northeast corridor that they got only because of the Penn-Central bankruptcy. Some other tracks used extensively by AmTrak and/or commuter railroads is owned by either AmTrac or a public agency like Caltrains here in California.

This was an accident that could have been avoided if the truck driver who caused the damage had reported the problem.