Amtrak derails in AR

[trainman1980]

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=97172&provider=top
http://thundertrain.org/Amtrak21Derail-010610.html

 

[ICG/SOU]

With as swampy as White County is in places, it's fortunate they derailed on dry land. I can't imagine how cold the water is right now.

 

[UP2CSX]

Looks like it had something to do with the crossover right under the derailed cars. I am rather surprised that it took six to seven hours for Amtrak to evacuate the passengers. I realize it's a rural area, but it seems like the local agencies could have organized a fleet of school busses in a couple of hours and had them transported to a school gym, where they would have had some kitchen and restroom facilities. The Red Cross or Salvation Army could have also been mobilized in a shorter period of time, if they were requested. 212 people aren't that many to move, and it seems like this situation should have been catered to in the county and state emergency plan.

 

[ICG/SOU]

It's been about 15 years since I've been to White County (I used to work for a surveyor who worked a lot in Arkansas), but it's your typical rural southern county. Even post September 11th, post Katrina, most local governments are still behind the ball on dealing with something like this.

Also, the .fedgov isn't the best either. I don't know if the rest of the train had power (I assume so), so shuttling the passengers to the adjacent cars would have kept them out of the cold.

While not good, it could have been much worse, like that one a few years back in Alabama.

 

[redwine_P]

WOW! deja vu ... used to live not far from there and yeah your right they are way behind on taking care of anything there in white co. ....... HMMMMM... kinda like here in mingo county. UH... I think ive got a thing for redneck towns , time to see a therapist... and proffesional help