by Bob Walsh
Yesterday AMTRACK launched a new, high-speed train service in western Washington state. The route was on a brand new rail bed constructed specially for the purpose. They even gave fancy ticket lanyards to the first run riders as sort of a commemorative.
The train derailed at speed while on a bridge over I-5. At least one car fell onto the freeway during rush hour. I-5 is closed south-bound and highly restricted north-bound in Pierce County, south of Seattle.
The situation is being described at this writing (1030 a.m. Monday) as a mass casualty event. I can believe it.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Engineering 101 quiz
Question: What will happen when a train traveling 80 mph hits a 30 mph curve?
Answer: The train will keep going straight.
1 comment:
Apparently all this nice shiny equipment and the newly rebuilt rail bed was NOT equipped with positive train control, which would have automatically throttled the train back or even stopped it by itself, kind of like a modern Kia sedan.
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