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Amtrak AutoTrain
Derails In Northern Florida
On April 18, 2002
http://TrainWeb.com/derailments/2002d18a.html

The two locomotives and the first two passenger cars remained on the track despite the shaking, but the following 14 passenger cars and the first seven of the 23 auto rack cars derailed. Seven passenger cars turned over.

George Black, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said investigators are impressed with how the double-deck Superliner cars remained intact even though they were pounded with massive forces. Unlike airliners, which are built of lightweight aluminum and composite material, rail passenger cars are built of heavy steel. This factor alone often prevents deaths or major injuries in even high-speed train wrecks. "The good story is that the cars stood up like champs," Black said.

                   -- Washington Post, Sunday, April 21, 2002, Page A10

Click here to read the NTSB Accident Report

Stories On This Derailment:
  • Wed 04/15/02 02:22 PM ET: NTSB Reveals Clues In Auto Train Crash (WESH)
  • Tue 04/23/02 07:27 PM ET: Amtrak's Auto Cars Return to Rails (AP)
  • Mon 04/22/02 04:07 PM ET: CSX Safety Praised Before Crash (AP)
  • Mon 04/22/02 01:00 PM ET: Auto Train to Resume Service (Amtrak Press Release)
  • Mon 04/22/02 09:40 AM ET: Amtrak Resumes Service; Dozens Still Stranded (WESH)
  • Sun 04/21/02 03:16 PM ET: Crash May Prompt Congress to Act Quickly on Amtrak (Reuters)
  • Sun 04/21/02 02:13 PM ET: Tracks Cleared at Amtrak Crash Site (AP)
  • Sun 04/21/02 03:25 AM ET: Backup engineer, conductor also hit brakes before derailment (AP)
  • Sun 04/21/02 --:-- -- --: Fla. Rail Track Had Drainage Woes (Washington Post)
  • Sat 04/20/02 07:19 PM ET: Probe Looks at Other Train in Amtrak Crash (Reuters)
  • Sat 04/20/02 05:42 PM ET: Three on Amtrak Train Pulled Brakes (AP)
  • Sat 04/20/02 12:20 PM ET: Track Probed in Amtrak Crash (AP)
  • Sat 04/20/02 11:52 AM ET: Names of Amtrak Crash Dead Confirmed (AP)
  • Sat 04/20/02 11:42 AM ET: Woman finds train derailment eerily similar (PRNewswire)
  • Sat 04/20/02 07:11 AM ET: Track may have buckled (Orlando Sentinel)
  • Sat 04/20/02 --:-- -- --: Engineer: Track Misaligned (Washington Post)
  • Sat 04/20/02 --:-- -- --: Lawsuit already filed on behalf of passengers (Orlando Sentinel)
  • Sat 04/20/02 --:-- -- --: Passengers try to plot next move (Orlando Sentinel)
  • Sat 04/20/02 --:-- -- --: Small town's response proves residents ... (Orlando Sentinel)
  • Sat 04/20/02 --:-- -- --: Editorial: Tragedy strikes (Orlando Sentinel)
  • Fri 04/19/02 07:03 PM ET: Engineer of Doomed Train Saw Damaged Track (Reuters)
  • Fri 04/19/02 04:21 PM ET: Amtrak Engineer Saw Problem, Hit Brake Before Derailment (Reuters)
  • Fri 04/19/02 03:08 PM ET: Four dead, more than 150 hurt in derailment (AP)
  • Fri 04/19/02 02:17 PM ET: Four Dead in Florida Amtrak Derailment (Reuters)
  • Fri 04/19/02 01:25 PM ET: Lawsuit Against Amtrak (Cauley Geller Bowman & Coates, LLP)
  • Fri 04/19/02 03:08 AM ET: Amtrak Train Derails in Florida, Six Dead (Reuters)
  • Fri 04/19/02 --:-- -- --: Amtrak Crash Probe Focuses on Tracks (Fox News Channel)
  • Fri 04/19/02 --:-- -- --: Candiotti: 'Spectacular' scene at Amtrak crash (CNN)
  • Fri 04/19/02 --:-- -- --: Track problem may have caused derailment (CNN)
  • Fri 04/19/02 --:-- -- --: NTSB: Tracks were misaligned (USA Today)
  • Thu 04/18/02 10:18 PM ET: Amtrak Crash in Florida Kills Six (AP)
  • Thu 04/18/02 10:11 PM ET: Amtrak Train Derails in Florida, Three Dead (Reuter)
  • Thu 04/18/02 09:58 PM ET: Amtrak Auto Train Derails In Putnam County (WESH)
  • Thu 04/18/02 09:48 PM ET: Train derails in northern Florida; at least 5 killed (AP)
  • Thu 04/18/02 09:28 PM ET: Amtrak Auto Train Has Popular Record (AP)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Amtrak Train Derails in Florida (Fox News Channel)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Amtrak derailment kills 3 in Florida (CNN)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Three killed in Amtrak derailment (MSNBC)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Florida train crash kills three (BBC)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Train derails in Florida (USA Today)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Three Killed in Fla. Amtrak Crash (Washington Post)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Amtrak train derails; three believed dead (UPI)
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Three die as Amtrak train headed from Orlando to Virginia crashes
  • Thu 04/18/02 --:-- -- --: Amtrak Train Derails in Florida, Three Dead (Reuters)

    Consist of Derailed AutoTrain:

    838 - P40
    843 - P40
    39002 - Trans Dorm
    32502 - Sleeper
    32084 - Sleeper
    32074 - Sleeper
    32503 - Deluxe Sleeper
    33101 - Lounge
    38052 - Diner
    32501 - Deluxe Sleeper
    32100 - Sleeper
    32090 - Sleeper
    34129 - Coach
    34125 - Coach
    34126 - Coach
    34120 - Coach
    33100 - Lounge
    38054 - Diner
    9030 - Auto Carrier
    9031 - Auto Carrier
    9019 - Auto Carrier
    9035 - Auto Carrier
    9004 - Auto Carrier
    9036 - Auto Carrier
    9001 - Auto Carrier
    9022 - Auto Carrier
    9033 - Auto Carrier
    9093 - Auto Carrier
    9094 - Auto Carrier
    9091 - Auto Carrier
    9096 - Auto Carrier
    9008 - Auto Carrier
    9023 - Auto Carrier
    9000 - Auto Carrier
    9016 - Auto Carrier
    9029 - Auto Carrier
    9112 - Auto Carrier
    9109 - Auto Carrier
    9100 - Auto Carrier
    9103 - Auto Carrier
    9121 - Auto Carrier
    9115 - Auto Carrier

    For a virtual tour of passenger rail cars similar to those that make up the Auto Train, click here and select links under the Amtrak Superliner Trainset section. Those railcars are identical to those used on the Auto Train, but the Auto Train also has other railcars not used on any other Amtrak trainset. Unique railcars to the Auto Train include Deluxe Sleeping Cars which only have Deluxe Rooms special lounge cars, and the auto carriers to transport automobiles of the passengers on the train.

    Please check back later for further developments.
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    Click here for additional derailment information and photos.


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