Amtrak Train Derails in Washington; At Least Six Dead, 70+ in Hospital

The train derailed at a sharp curve before a trestle crossing Interstate 5. Train cars are hanging off the trestle.

The train was going 81.1 mph moments before the derailment, according to transitdocs.com, a website that maps Amtrak train locations and speeds using data from the railroad's train tracker app.

The maximum speed along the stretch of track, known as Point Defiance Bypass, is 79 mph, according to information about the project posted online by the Washington State Department of Transportation.

But that's the speed for the straightaway parts of the track in this area, according to Fox's on-air report. The reporter says that the curve in front of the trestle does not permit anything like 79 mph or 81 mph; he says trains have to slow to 30mph to round the curve.

posted by Ace at 04:31 PM

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