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Three dead after Amtrak train hits SUV in Mansfield; service interrupted
By adamg on Mon, 06/23/2014 - 6:40am
Collision knocked engine off tracks; here it's been put back. Photo by TPD.
UPDATE: The death toll was updated late this morning, after authorities found a third body.
Two men and a woman in an SUV sitting on the Northeast Corridor tracks in Mansfield died when a Amtrak train heading to Boston slammed into the vehicle around midnight, Transit Police report.
The collision and investigating halted Acela and regional service between Boston and Providence until shortly after 7 a.m., Amtrak reports. Service on the Providence Line was slowed.
Police say they are continuing to investigate why the SUV was on the tracks.
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Comments
Huh, weird...
Was at the Comcast Xfinity Center for a concert, and we found our car right about when this happened. A couple minutes later a few state police left in a big hurry, around 11:15pm. Didn't think anything of it until now, when I heard about the incident happening right about that time.
Currently on the 808, finally
Currently on the 808, finally through Mansfield at 8:20am. We passed the detailed Amtrak and some debris. From the looks of things, these people reAlly had to try to get their vehicle on the tracks. It is downhill through the woods on either side.
could have been pushed
It takes a train a long distance to stop from speed, it may have hit the car at a crossing & pushed it a long ways before it came to rest where you saw it.
It didn't hit the car at a
It didn't hit the car at a crossing. The nearest crossing is in Connecticut.
The car somehow made it onto the tracks in Mansfield, likely through some sort of access gate.
Perhaps the SUV driver
was relying on a GPS.
Likely some parts were pushed, but -
The train stopped well beyond the area where I observed miscellaneous debris. There were over a dozen officials working near the locomotive and several in the area where the vehicle seems to have been. While it is possible that the fencing in that area was knocked down after the accident, it looks as though at least some of it was a result of the accident. This is definitely a large accident scene; I imagine it will take some time to clear it.
NEC?
Didn't realize there were still any grade crossings around there.
Grade crossings...
There are none left on the NEC in Mass.
There aren't
If I recall correctly, I think the closest grade crossings to Boston on the NEC are somewhere in eastern Connecticut..
There's one at the New London
There's one at the New London, CT station; I can't think of any others.
I can't think of a single one
I can't think of a single one. That SUV had to have crashed a gate to get on to the tracks.
Given the speed that those trains are at down there, it's a wonder that there were no injuries on board the train or a more significant derailment of the train. I hope the engineer is doing OK.
thought so
That's "the raceway" down there. Could have easily been an Acela... Wonder if they go on some access road or such.
Globe has added info: "They described the scene of the incident as heavily wooded and logistically difficult, making it harder to find answers, most notably how the SUV managed to get on the tracks."
120 MPH there
According to WHDH-TV. More likely for Accela than this train which didn't look like one. Reportedly it took the train hitting the SUV a mile to stop. That is a long debris field. All three SUV occupants (two men, one woman) now reported dead.
The train involved was
Northeast Regional service, not Acela. The Acela trains are authorized for 120 mph through Mansfield, and the Regional trains are authorized for 110 mph. However, the T's commuter rail trains are restricted to much slower speed - IIRC, it's 79 mph.
Unless the schedules have
Unless the schedules have changed, I don't believe that there's an Acela running that late in the day.
My good friend was on that train
She says it really wasn't that bad at all for the riders. Just thrown a little, and probably no injuries.
Meanwhile in Berlin, CT...
About an hour ago, the Springfield Shuttle service by Amtrak struck a vehicle on a private crossing in Berlin, CT. Train is on fire.
Pic: http://instagram.com/p/plqTaEBN0N/#
There are so many at-grade
There are so many at-grade crossings on that route.
Caption says that the train hit a work truck. So, an Amtrak truck???
And the "being totally clueless"
award goes to WBZ Radio, who kept reporting during their morning broadcasts that Amtrak and the MBTA have separate tracks through Mansfield, whle failng to mention that the train had been derailed.
Do you expect actual news reporting from WBZ Radio?
I'm pretty sure that they only report headlines, traffic and weather and not news.
Actually
Actually, WBZ's prinicpal mission is to provide their listeners with copius amounts of advertising - anything else is an optional extra. Although I'm surprised they failed to mention the derailment, as that is usually a good "shock horror" attention getting headline that the media likes to use.
Gutter helmet
and 1-877-KARS4KIDS. Over and over.
Let's not forget
Herb Tarlek - I mean Garry LaPierre telling you about the law firm that helps you find ways to cheat nursing homes out ot ther fees.
Even if I had a car to donate
Even if I had a car to donate, I would never give it to that organization because I hatehatehatehate that jingle, which is now going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
Another thing to consider here
Unlike the Salvation Army and other charities that solicit old cars and other donations, KarsForKids make no mention whatsoever in their ads as to the actual programs the donations will support.
While it's very good form to research any charity you plan on donating to, "this is what your donation supports" should be a basic part of any charity's ad campaign, no matter how "catchy" their jingle might be.
The donations will support
The donations will support the productions of more ads....
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
EASY TO ACCESS THE TRACKS IN THAT AREA
THERE ARE A FEW LOCATIONS, NEARBY WHERE ONE CAN ACCESS THOSE TRAIN TRACKS.... AS YOU DRIVE DOWN RICHARDSON ST, SOMETIMES THE GATE BY THE HIGH T'S IS LEFT WIDE OPEN, UNLOCKED. I'VE SEEN IT OPEN DURING THE DAYTIME, WHEN I HAVE DRIVEN BY. I ALSO KNOW PEOPLE ACCESS THE HIGH T'S AND TRAIN TRACKS AT THIS LOCATION TO RIDE QUADS AND DIRTBIKES ETC. I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO TAKE A LARGE VEHICLE OUT ON THE TRACKS, AT NIGHT, AS THERE IS VERY LITTLE ROOM TO DRIVE ALONG THE SHOULDER OF THE TRACKS. I'M GUESSING THEY WERE DRINKING AND OR PARTYING AND GOT STUCK... AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY AND SADLY IT WAS TOO LATE.
Query
What are High T's?
High T
I believe the writer means High Tension Wires. There are cable crossings nearby. I ride that line regularly on the Commuter Rail. It would be hard to get a large vehicle on the tracks by mistake. Even local deer have a hard time accessing the tracks from the woods. Sadly, I'll bet they were young people out sport-riding and they got into an impossible situation to get out of. RIP, passengers and driver.
The High T's are the electric
The High T's are the electric utility High Voltage Power Lines.
My guess
High voltage power lines.
There doesn't appear to be any fence at the crossing here: http://goo.gl/maps/Pk3xw
The only thing you have to do to get here is drive around a simple bar gate back at Richardson Ave. Given some of the "trail paths" that you can see in the satellite view of the gate, it doesn't look like the gate has been keeping anyone out that wants to go around it.
I wonder if those in the SUV
I wonder if those in the SUV went down there to drink, passed out in the car, and never knew what hit them.
Those trains are fast, and you really can't hear one (despite what you think) when you're at the track level until it's just about on top of you. I never understood how people would say, "Oh I didn't hear the train" until I waited on the Commuter Rail platforms along the Northeast Corridor. Standing on the platform you would get about a 10-second warning (consisting of a zinging noise from the rails) before that train blasted its way past the station. It was terrifying and fantastic.
Ruggles is like that
I'm impressed the Acela going through Ruggles doesn't kill more people. There have been times where there either hasn't been a "Train Approaching!" announcement or I am zoned out and not listening and that train catches me by surprise.
But yeah, unless the train is blowing its horn, it can be hard to hear coming.
Acelas don't kill people
Acelas don't kill people coming through Ruggles because people aren't usually on the tracks at Ruggles. If you're on the platform you're fine, no matter what speed it comes by at (IIRC after leaving Back Bay the speed goes right up to 110).
Many places don't even have train approaching announcements. The MBTA is the only NEC agency that even uses them, IIRC. Most of the time people are trusted to just stay on the platform, regardless of whether or not a train is approaching.
If you're doing something at a station that would result in your death if you aren't notified of a train approaching, then maybe you shouldn't be using public transit.
Stay *behind* the yellow line
there's a good reason for that part of the announcement.
And if you are close,
the motion blast is pretty impressive, like a shock wave or something.
Oh totally.
Power line access ways were exempted from liability during the creation of the Bay Circuit Trail.
It uses a run through the northern edge of the Hockomock Swamp.
And they play a role in many other trail segments.
Courts made the ruling to protect power companies from damage idiots do to themselves on dirt bikes, quads, other ATV's and SUVs
This is some rustics out dirt roading at night.
I hadn't studied maps yet but that is your classic power access right of way.
Please be kind
It is not the time to be referring to people who live in this area as "rustics" or "idiots". 3 people just lost their lives. It's horrible and tragic. Devastating for the families. Please withhold your derogatory comments until the investigation is complete.
Thank you.
I just learned that the woman
I just learned that the woman in the SUV was a dear friend of mine. She was young, vivacious, and had the biggest heart. I can't imagine how this came to be, but rather than speculate why they were there I just send my thoughts and prayers to all who were involved and affected.
The Lazy Lady
Another such location is south of the place you describe, and it is off Richardson by way of the loop street named Old Richardson Ave. A private road once went across the RR to Lazy Lady Farm, a chicken farm on the other side of the tracks. Amtrak (or MA, who actually owns the tracks in the state) bought out this farm in the late 90s to build a substation on the site when Amtrak electrified the line. Not saying you are wrong on the point of entry, it's just another possibility.
I was on the train
I was on this train, and it was nuts. They actually were really honest with us, though obviously were only letting us know as much info as they could access. The speed limit there was 125 (though it was a Northeast Regional) and yeah, these trains really do fly between Providence and Rte 128. No corners, no crossings. (I ride this route often.)
There was a crazy lurch, which knocked down people in the aisles, and then rapid braking, with the screech of what sounded like crunching branches on the sides/ windows. Then smoke filled the cars. We found out later the smoke was from a wheel that was wrenched off the SUV and dragged the full 2 miles it takes for a 9 car train to fully stop. The full stop felt incredibly solid, however, despite the fact that the engine derailed.
They couldn't get a rescue train to us from the south because of the crime scene and debris. They couldn't access us from the north, because they weren't sure if the derailed engine was too close to the opposite tracks. Ultimately, they reached a deal with the MBTA Commuter train, and they had us climb down and walk across to the rescue train. They'd informed us that the fire dept was arranging for lights- I assumed this meant flood lights, but it actually meant about 30 firemen, Amtrak staff, and other first responders, there with flashlights, glowsticks, and helping hands. They hoisted us and our bags up onto the commuter rail, and we eventually headed back.
I got on in New Haven at 9:30, crashed at 11:50, and got home to JP at 4:45 this morning. I am totally in awe of how all the staff handled the situation and the riders- no injuries reported, and real honest communication. (Also, snacks.) Obviously we don't know if the SUV was a suicide, a substance use issue, or even, as some train riders thought, "terrorism," but I remain very impressed with the handling of it.