Amtrak crash resurrects rail crossings concerns

June 29, 2022

Tyson Fisher

|

An Amtrak crash involving a truck has reignited concerns regarding train crossings across the United States.

On Monday, June 27, an Amtrak train derailed after striking a dump truck in Mendon, Mo. The trucker was driving over a steep grade crossing at the time of the collision. Four people were killed, including the truck driver. About 150 more were injured.

According to National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, the Amtrak train was traveling east from Los Angeles to Chicago. The truck, owned by Brookfield, Mo.-based MS Contracting, was hauling aggregate to an Army Corps of Engineers project.

The truck was in motion crossing the tracks when it was struck at 12:43 p.m. Monday.

Upon impact, the Amtrak train derailed, including two locomotives, six coach cars, a cafe car and one baggage car. Among the passengers were Boy Scouts of America troops from Wisconsin.

NTSB is investigating the crash. As of the afternoon of June 29, the investigatory agency was collecting data from the Amtrak train’s event recorder. Among the information contained in the recorder is the time when the horn was blown, the speed of train, and brake application. The train speed limit in Mendon is 90 mph.

Investigators are also collecting data from two forward-facing cameras on the Amtrak train. There were no inward-facing cameras installed. Additionally, investigators are downloading data from the dump truck’s engine control module.

Nothing new about rail crossings concerns

During a news conference, Homendy pointed out that NTSB has been making recommendations regarding rail crossings for decades.

The crossing in Mendon is what is called a passive crossing – i.e., no arms, lights, whistles, bells, etc. According to Homendy, about half of all U.S. rail crossings are passive.

In addition to being passive, the Mendon crossing is also on a steep grade. Homendy said she is looking into claims that locals have been complaining about the passive crossing for years. Just a few weeks ago, one local posted his concerns on Facebook.

The problem is nothing new. Ten years ago, Land Line published a story addressing this exact issue. The story centers on an independent crash investigator who specializes in railroads. Larry Henley, a former railroad trainmaster turned independent crash investigator, discussed why truckers are not to blame for many, if not most, crashes on a grade crossing.

“Every time they put in new ties it raises the elevation of the right of way anywhere from 5 to 6 inches,” Henley said. “What nobody has noticed is, over the years when the railroad rights of way go up in elevation, correspondingly so does the grade crossing. And they simply do not comply with the guidelines established in (the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association).”

To read the full story, click hereLL