Amtrak Tragedy Strikes, Multiple People Injured

Amtrak Tragedy Strikes, Multiple People Injured

Deadly Disaster Strikes US In The Last Way Anyone Expected

(StraightNews.org) – As Americans looked to travel this summer, many chose to fly, some chose to drive, while others decided to ride trains across the nation as their preferred mode of getting to their destination. Unfortunately, for those who chose the rails, tragedy struck this week when the Southwest Chief train derailed just outside of Kansas City, Missouri.

On Monday, June 27, an Amtrak train that left Los Angeles, California days before derailed in Mendon, Missouri while en route to Chicago, Illinois. The train was traveling around 87 miles per hour when it hit a dump truck stuck at a crossing. After the collision, the train’s two locomotives and eight cars jumped off the tracks.

As of Wednesday, June 29, four people died from the crash including Billy Barton II, the dump truck driver. Approximately 150 more were taken to various hospitals in the area. In total, 275 passengers and 12 crew members were involved in the crash.

The railroad crossing did not have any safety lights or signals despite locals repeatedly asking Amtrak to add them. However, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy emphasized the train was going under the 90-mile-per-hour speed limit and had repeatedly blown its horn while it approached the crossing. Amtrak is now running a reduced schedule on the route due to having one less train.

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