Two killed, several injured in Amtrak vs. semi truck wreck

Originally posted by IPILYA

Back to the explosion...

Having been a mechanic for over 30 years, I have yet to see diesel ignite without a heat and ignition source. Not to say it couldn't happen, but in this case, there doesn't appear to have been those circumstances. Again, I'm hoping witnesses can shed more light on it.

Passengers in the car hit said there was what amounted to a sheet of fire upon impact. That car was destroyed, and the following car heavily damaged. It should be noted that those cars do not have anything that would cause a firey explosion on impact, nor would the truck, a diesel. Diesel fuel will not explode in a sheet of flames, it must be heated to ignition point for that to happen.

Sigh...

Believe what you will, but I have more than 20 years of experience as a conductor on america's railroads. Each Superliner car is supplied with 480 volts of 3 phase electricity from the locomotives. Each car has it's own stand alone electrical systems; lighting system; communication system; and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. These systems are all powered by that head end electricity. They are located in compartments at either end of the car. The maintenance manual for just the environmental systems alone runs to four pounds in weight. With electrical inverters, converters, electric air conditioner pumps and fans, electric heaters, trust me when I say there are PLENTY of ignition sources on passenger rail equipment. The articles do not say the cars were destroyed in an explosion, but that they burned. Passenger cars burn, given a fire source.

Diesel fuel from a punctured fuel tank sprayed forward in an aerosol by the momentum of the crash and contacting sparks from 480 volts of 3 phase electricity WILL become a fireball.

But that's just my opinion...

reply to post by Montana


Thank you for the input and your knowledge on the train systems. I have no reason to doubt your statements. With that, and understanding that heated diesel fuel can ignite, do you think it is soully responsible for the size of the "fireball"? And are you confident that, assuming the tank was full, the explosion could have been so large?

I would assume that the seats and interior would be fire retardant(this does not mean they can not burn) but, why would it burn so hot that investigators could not enter the train for 2 days?

reply to post by IPILYA


I have no idea if the diesel fuel was SOLELY responsible for the fire ball, but it certainly doesn't sound improbable to me from what I have seen in other railway accidents. The damage I see in the photos of this crash, and the descriptions I have read from the witnesses seem well within what I would expect to see from my direct experience.

reply to post by Montana

Thank You again for your input. I will, at your experience, leave the explosion alone unless there is a report to the opposing.

reply to post by IPILYA

Nev. judge orders Amtrak crash evidence protected

Source: www.nevadaappeal.com...&ParentProfile=1058

RENO (AP) — A judge handling the first lawsuit in a deadly Amtrak crash in Nevada issued a protective order Wednesday prohibiting the destruction or disposal of any evidence tied to last week's fiery collision between a truck and a passenger train that left six dead at a rail crossing in the high desert.

More good pics...
www.rgj.com...

reply to post by IPILYA

Amtrak sues NV truck firm over crash that killed 6; $10M in damage to Calif-bound train

Source: www.greenfieldreporter.com...

RENO, Nev. — Amtrak is suing a Nevada trucking company for negligence in the hiring of a driver who drove a semi-trailer truck into the side of a passenger train last week in a fiery crash that killed six and injured more than 20.

And they are off and running before the crash is even cleaned up. The Investigation could take a year to come to a conclusion so how can a law suit be closed without it? I would think they would wait for more info first.

Originally posted by IPILYA
reply to post by granpabobby

 

Are they saying anything not already in the thread?

No ..simply reported the wreck ..no updates..nothing.
Our local news is kind of sad. Baby food for the news hungry.
They didnt show pictures ..and no updates..

reply to post by IPILYA

DNA to Hopefully Identify Last Amtrak Crash Victim

Source: www.ktvn.com...

The Nevada Highway Patrol says the Washoe County Medical Examiner's officer has sent off a DNA sample in an effort to identify the last body from last Friday's Amtrak semi-truck collision.

The victim was burned so badly authorities haven't been able to identify the body and don't know how long identification by DNA will take.

We've also learned the Nevada Department of Transportation has started a statewide analysis of high-speed crossings to see if more can be done to stop accidents like the one near Fallon.

Source: www.rgj.com...

At 7 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2010, a truck pulling a flatbed loaded with pipe slammed on its brakes and plowed into the guardrail at the railroad crossing on U.S. 95 -- the same crossing where six people were killing in last Friday's crash -- just missing an Amtrak train. The Amtrak engineer said he sees four to five near-misses at that crossing every year. / Nevada Highway Patrol