World

Amtrak train collides with truck - Seven injured

by tbphotos | May 28, 2008 at 07:05 pm

343 views | 9 Recommendations | 3 comments

Not an unusual story, as Amtrak has had more than its share of collisions and derailments over the years. I travelled across the USA on Amtrak several years ago, and although I am very seasoned to train travel, I will never travel Amtrak again. They are reputedly running late, without explanation to their passengers. My final leg of my journey from Chicago to Seattle was 8 hours late, and we were never informed why. Their trains are comfortable, their dining room food is passable, but their Customer Service does not exist.

This story also states that the tracks are owned by Canadian National Railway. Is this a hint that perhaps they are trying to put the blame on Canada for colliding with a truck at a railway crossing? Without attempting to be prejudiced her, I would much prefer to travel Canada's VIA Rail anytime.

JACKSON, Miss. — An Amtrak passenger train collided with a garbage truck Tuesday on a rural stretch of central Mississippi track, injuring at least seven people, authorities said.
Three of those taken to hospitals were Amtrak employees who suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. He did not know the status of the others hurt, or whether they were train passengers, truck passengers or both.
A fire broke out after the collision, authorities said, damaging the engine. The train's final car, which was empty, left the track.
The estimated 100 passengers aboard the southbound City of New Orleans train were moved to a nearby school and were to be taken to their destinations by bus, Magliari said. He said the train left Chicago on Monday night and had been due in Louisiana Tuesday afternoon.
The accident occurred about 1:30 p.m. in Copiah County, south of Jackson.
Matt Morning of St. Louis, who was returning to school at the University of New Orleans, said he and another student were eating in the dining car when the accident occurred.
"We were just sitting when all of the sudden we felt this incredible jolt," Morning said.
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He said it felt like the train was going to jump the tracks.
Morning said people came into the dining car and told everyone to stay put.
"They later came back and directed us to the exits. We're just kind of stranded," Morning said.
The northbound City of New Orleans was held at the station just as it was set to depart Tuesday afternoon, Magliari said.
Canadian National Railway owns the tracks.