Federal officials have stated that the engineer of an Amtrak passenger train used the emergency brakes five seconds before it hit a backhoe sitting on the same track and derailed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The backhoe operator and a track supervisor were killed in the train accident.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the train was moving at 100 mph in a 110 mph zone. While there were no fatalities for anyone on board the train, more than 30 passengers suffered injuries.
An NTSB investigator named Ryan Frigo said that videos revealed the presence of construction equipment on the track, as well as a contractor’s equipment on a neighboring track prior to the deadly train crash.
The train was traveling from New York to Savannah, Georgia at approximately 8:00 a.m. when it struck a piece of equipment in Chester, PA, which is about 15 miles from Philadelphia. The force of the collision derailed the lead engine of the train.
The victims of the crash included backhoe operator Joseph Carter, who was age 61 when he died, and Peter Adamovich, who was age 59 when he died. The cause of death in each case was blunt force trauma.
The union that represents Carter said that since March 1, three workers have lost their lives while working on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
Amtrak presented new safety rules that became effective March 15. For example, track workers are now required to confirm their assignments with dispatchers in order to make certain that they are not working on or near an active track.
Nearly one year ago, a speeding Amtrak train swerved off the tracks in Philadelphia, resulting in eight fatalities more than 300 injured people.
For additional information on the latest Amtrak accident, view the ABC.com article, “Officials: Amtrak Engineer Hit Brakes Seconds before Crash.”

If you were involved in a train accident or a motor vehicle accident and were injured due to the negligence of another person or entity, contact the personal injury attorneys at Proner and Proner. Our experienced legal team can assist you and help you get the financial compensation you need to cover the costs of your injuries.