Passenger Trains > Amtrak derails near NY Penn Station:

Amtrak derails near NYPenn Station:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/train_reportedly_derailed_clipped_another_at_ny_pe.html
(Details are limited at this point;just heard a report on Fox News, no video available from FNC as of yet).

NEW YORK -- An Amtrak train derailment at New York Penn Station has forced the suspension of all service into the station Friday morning, NJ Transit officials said.There was no immediate information about injuries or additional details about the derailment.NJ Transit's Midtown Direct trains are being diverted to Hoboken and the service is cross honoring tickets system-wide.A call to Amtrak officials was not immediately returned.A number of commuters were tweeting photos Friday morning about the incident and appeared to show damage to the side of an NJ Transit train. NJ Transit referred questions about the incident to Amtrak. Ads by ZINC  Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.      [url=http://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=advance-njcom&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-a:Below Article Thumbnails:]Sponsored Links [/url][url=http://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=advance-njcom&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-a:Below Article Thumbnails:]Sponsored Links [/url][url=http://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=advance-njcom&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-a:Below Article Thumbnails:]Promoted Links [/url][url=http://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&utm_source=advance-njcom&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=alternating-thumbnails-a:Below Article Thumbnails:]Promoted Links [/url]

Reports say that Acela 2150 from Washington derailed and collided with a NJ Transit train.

As far as I can remember this is the first collision or derailment of an Acela.  2150 is the early Acela departure out of Washington, and was the first revenue Acela train when service began...it doesn't seem so long ago...was anybody else on TO aboard on that first run?

EDIT: further report says Acela 2151, BOS-WAS.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/17 07:46 by GenePoon.

All rail service is suspended in and out PSNY due to a derailed Amtrak train in PSNY. MidTown Direct trains are being diverted to Hoboken Terminal. Cross honoring is in effect system-wide with NJT bus, private carriers, and PATH.

​Sideswipe, minor derailment inside NY Penn.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/17 07:11 by PennPlat.

Pictures here.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/In-Pictures-Train-Derailment-at-New-York-Penn-Station-417020013.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

ACtually train 2151, Boston - Washington, derailed departing on track 6, part of train was still at platform, all passengers unloaded onto platform.

Given that this happened as the Acela was departing (and its passengers detrained on the part of the train that was still adjacent to the platform), it would appear the the southbound Acela and NJT were going in opposite directions.

Initially, two possibilities come to mind (and there may be more): either misaligned switches or an engineer went past a stop signal.
This is pure speculation; we won't know until the investigation results are available.  



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/17 08:14 by hazegray.

Possibility not only of mislined switches (is that possible within the NYP intrlocking plant?) but of a failed switch.

Yes - I was :  up and back WAS-BOS, on business (Got in several meetings in BOS that day as well as historic rides).  Up in Business Class, back in First:  memorable experience.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Reports say that Acela 2150 from Washington
> derailed and collided with a NJ Transit train.
>
> As far as I can remember this is the first
> collision or derailment of an Acela.  2150 is the
> early Acela departure out of Washington, and was
> the first revenue Acela train when service
> began...it doesn't seem so long ago...was anybody
> else on TO aboard on that first run?
>
> EDIT: further report says Acela 2151, BOS-WAS.

Either train could have easily picked a switch.  Ever see the condition of the the maze of slip switches and ladder tracks at the west end of penn station.

Surely, you mean "lost contact with the rail," not "derailed." The former is the Am-flack approved term.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Reports say that Acela 2150 from Washington
> derailed and collided with a NJ Transit train.
>
> As far as I can remember this is the first
> collision or derailment of an Acela.  2150 is the
> early Acela departure out of Washington, and was
> the first revenue Acela train when service
> began...it doesn't seem so long ago...was anybody
> else on TO aboard on that first run?
>
> EDIT: further report says Acela 2151, BOS-WAS.

Paul Wilson
Arlington, VA

I booked a little over half of the First Class car on 2150 that day, both friends and regular clientele, and we shared the ride from Washington to New York with Stan Bagley and entourage.  George Warrington boarded at BWI, where his chauffeur (Amtrak Police Sergeant) had driven him in his company Mercury Grand Marquis.  Invited media entered for brief interviews, soundbytes and video clips with Warrington.

At one point Warrington, in response to a passenger's question, blurted out, "The country can spend two billion dollars to clean up roadkill but can't support a passenger rail system!"

All company VIPs detrained at NYP and had a smoking break on the platform before going into the station.  From there to Boston the car wasn't full, and only a couple of Amtrak prople watching after the in-car systems remained.  

There were no special commemorative souvenirs; only I know that an Acela-logo fork and a small Amtrak Claytor-pattern plate came (yes, were filched from) the first revenue Acela.


RevRandy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes - I was :  up and back WAS-BOS, on business
> (Got in several meetings in BOS that day as well
> as historic rides).  Up in Business Class, back
> in First:  memorable experience.
>
> GenePoon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Reports say that Acela 2150 from Washington
> > derailed and collided with a NJ Transit train.
> >
> > As far as I can remember this is the first
> > collision or derailment of an Acela.  2150 is
> the
> > early Acela departure out of Washington, and
> was
> > the first revenue Acela train when service
> > began...it doesn't seem so long ago...was
> anybody
> > else on TO aboard on that first run?
> >
 



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/17 09:17 by GenePoon.

GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> As far as I can remember this is the first
> collision or derailment of an Acela.  
>

There was an Acela derailment in 2004 near New Haven.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,811140

PennPlat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> All rail service is suspended in and out PSNY due
> to a derailed Amtrak train in PSNY. MidTown Direct
> trains are being diverted to Hoboken Terminal.
> Cross honoring is in effect system-wide with NJT
> bus, private carriers, and PATH.
>
> ​Sideswipe, minor derailment inside NY Penn.

Wonder why all train service including LIRR and Amtrak north to New England is suspended? Did All catenary and 3rd rail power on all tracks need to be turned off?

Posted from iPhone

Read on another forum that Empire Service trains #234 and #236 are terminating at Grand Central.
Andy

JPB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> PennPlat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > All rail service is suspended in and out PSNY
> due
> > to a derailed Amtrak train in PSNY. MidTown
> Direct
> > trains are being diverted to Hoboken Terminal.
> > Cross honoring is in effect system-wide with
> NJT
> > bus, private carriers, and PATH.
> >
> > ​Sideswipe, minor derailment inside NY Penn.
>
> Wonder why all train service including LIRR and
> Amtrak north to New England is suspended? Did All
> catenary and 3rd rail power on all tracks need to
> be turned off?
>

Might be that, or maybe there is suspicion of interlocking failure (false clear, switch lined wrong but indicated correct, etc.), or maybe just need room to clean it up.

TAW

JPB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Wonder why all train service including LIRR and Amtrak north to New England is suspended? Did All
> catenary and 3rd rail power on all tracks need to be turned off?
>
> Posted from iPhone

If you've ever seen the tracks adjacent to the Penn Sta platforms you'd have a better appreciation of what is involved, including 3rd rail and catenary, and poor lighting.  I would imagine that anyone needing to actually get on the ground would want to be very darn sure that all power wascompletely off, and that no short circuits -- as a result of broken rails or wiring - could possibly occur and injure or kill someone.
 Press is now reporting FRA is at the scene. 

Here is the service advisory from the LIRR website.  This implies that non-rush service is continuing.  LIRR stores equipment in their yard west of Penn Station, which may need to use the tracks affected by the accident to reach the station.  On the other hand, trains which arrive/leave on the high numbered tracks used exclusively by LIRR are probably not affected.
AndyPM Rush AdvisoryDue to the Amtrak derailment in Penn Station, LIRR anticipates cancellations and delays for this evening's rush hour. To avoid delays, customers are advised to leave NYC before 4PM or delay departure from the city until after 8PM. Customers may also wish to consider departing from Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.Th

I was on innaugural trip except from Baltimore Penn to Boston and back.  I still have the ticket, first class all the way.  I remember there was an issue at NY Penn, can't remember if it was going or returning with a cable connection between cars.
​I still have the Acela glass given to passengers.  A buddy was on the trip with me and his niece and nephew only rode Washington-Baltimore and then we occupied the same seats.  My buddy attended MIT during WWII working for U.S. Army
​so we visited the neighborhood in Cambridge where he had an apartment.  There were a number of press riders onboard, the speed was being announced passing through Rhode Island.   Bathroom sliding door was hard to keep closed.  I believe
​the trip was December 1999.

​I was also on the innagural Metroliner trip, but only from Baltimore Penn to Philadelphia 30St.  I still have the innagural coin given to passengers.  The coin was also given out to passengers for a short time after the innagural trip while supples
​lasted.  Seems like the trip was 1968.

 

Preliminary though without a cause: Amtrak derailed, er, lost contact with the rail, one truck, sideswiping inbound NJ Transit.  No injuries reported, all passengers detrained on platforms.