Derailment on to SB I-5 in Nisqually - Dupont, WA

[wazzou]

Actually, No, It was on part that was re-done. New rail, new ties, new signals, some re-alignment, and a ton of other upgrades. Most of that was jointed rail before the renovations.

As Mike states, the whole bypass has undergone being completely redone and has been extensively tested.
I drive under that bridge each and every day on the way to and home from work. 
The line passes behind my office about 10 miles North of where this incident occurred, so I have witnessed all of the rebuilding and testing.
Fortunately, I decided to work from home until after the New Year.

[Mark W]

Actually, No, It was on part that was re-done. New rail, new ties, new signals, some re-alignment, and a ton of other upgrades. Most of that was jointed rail before the renovations.

Ok, so it sounds like there were two different improvements.  The sounder improvements mostly through Lakewood, and WSDOT improvements across the whole bypass route.

My gut, much like the incident on the NEC at Frankford Jct., this looks like speed going into the curve for the bridge. Looking at the overheads, you've got basically an S curve, with the bridge the straight, between each side of the highway. It was the first run but I have to assume the engineers had to be qual'd on the line, right?

Phil

The news did mention many at-speed run throughs while testing. 


Radio traffic implies it something happened on the curve.  Curiously, the rear locomotive is still upright and on the rails after the curve, and cars are scattered to both sides of the track, not just the outside.   

http://komonews.com/news/local/emergency-we-are-on-the-ground-radio-traffic-from-amtrak-train

[wazzou]

Some images captured from one of the local News stations.

[wazzou]

Curiously, the rear locomotive is still upright and on the rails after the curve, and cars are scattered to both sides of the track, not just the outside.   

I would guess based on the 4th image in my photo dump that once the cars piled up to the outside, the remaining few cars ahead of the rear locomotive just deflected off and careened to the inside.

[Chris333]

If the train derailed right at that curve it is surprising how short it stopped.

[Philip H]

If the train derailed right at that curve it is surprising how short it stopped.

it appears the lead loco came off the track in a straight line and started to take cars with it as the rear loco kept making the turn - and probably dumping air as the emergencies kicked in. 

[Iain]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/train-derails-from-bridge-onto-interstate-5-near-olympia/

Seattle Times says it hit something on the track.

[up1950s]

China , Japan , Germany , England , and France now must be shaking their collective at us . I know I am . Geez 79 MPH is normal for the LIRR at spots , like bypassing stations right next to platforms with humans at the edge . Would be interesting to find out if the rail was super-elevated as I am thinking the loco wasn't a centrifugal swinger .

After gawking at Google I find that the curves on I5 are much easier that the tracks leading to the bridge on both sides . Something tells me the installation of a new bridge and or a bigger radius on both sides was a cost effective risk that Amcrash wishes now they didn't take .

[Chris333]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/train-derails-from-bridge-onto-interstate-5-near-olympia/

Seattle Times says it hit something on the track.

I like the idiot post by Trump in the middle of that.

[wazzou]

Looking at some of the images on the News, I am surprised that the super-elevation wasn't greater than it is.
It's being widely reported that the speed limit was 79 MPH.  While I find that likely on the mostly tangent alignment, I've got to believe that the curves on either end of this bridge had to be speed restricted.

[up1950s]

Look at the track curves vs the I5 curves

[Mark W]

I like the idiot post by Trump in the middle of that.

He's right though.  Now's not the time to politicize this tragedy.



Oh wait....     

[mu26aeh]

Raw audio from scanner via Broadcastify

[Chris333]

He's right though.  Now's not the time to politicize this tragedy.



Oh wait....     

He said something like this train crash is an example of out crumbling infrastructure. But this is a many year long and expensive project to upgrade the whole line, no crumbling here.

[Mark W]

Yes, my comment was to highlight the hypocrisy of using this event to push an agenda he favors vs another type of event where don't you dare try and politicize it.

Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage at the time of his tweet, which came even before any condolences were offered.