A train carriage has plummeted on to a highway in Washington state and there are reports of casualties.
The Amtrak train car fell from an overpass, landing on the I-5 highway outside Seattle.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of casualties. But witnesses say several people have been injured.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42401707
@Lori, I hope that you or anyone you know hasn't been involved and that you are safe.
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Local news stations report that this was the inaugural run of the new high-speed rail line.
The crash occurred around 07:30 (15:30 GMT), about 45 minutes into train 501's journey between Portland and Seattle.
Before the crash, it was travelling at more than 80mph (130kmh).
Hi, @El Loro - I've just heard about this in the last few minutes...sounds like there are also fatalities. 
This was pretty far south of me, and I doubt I know anyone involved.
Can you imagine?? Either scenario: being in the car that fell, or on the highway below...horrific!
Sounds like it hit a truck. No idea why there was a truck on the tracks...
Lori posted:Hi, @El Loro - I've just heard about this in the last few minutes...sounds like there are also fatalities.
This was pretty far south of me, and I doubt I know anyone involved.
Can you imagine?? Either scenario: being in the car that fell, or on the highway below...horrific!
Also glad to hear you're OK, Lori. 
I didn't initially make the connection as I misheard the initial reports on this and thought it was in Washington DC, not Washington State...
Glad you're ok Lori
What a terrifying accident, so awful
Eugene's Lair posted:Lori posted:Hi, @El Loro - I've just heard about this in the last few minutes...sounds like there are also fatalities.
This was pretty far south of me, and I doubt I know anyone involved.
Can you imagine?? Either scenario: being in the car that fell, or on the highway below...horrific!
Also glad to hear you're OK, Lori.
I didn't initially make the connection as I misheard the initial reports on this and thought it was in Washington DC, not Washington State...
That's why we often refer to ourselves as "the Other Washington".
I have a friend who lives not very far from there, and had been in that spot a little over an hour earlier. She made it to work, but will be spending the night at a hotel, since the highway will be closed for at LEAST the rest of the day and probably most of the night...
El Loro posted:Lori, I'm glad that your friend wasn't there at the time of the accident
3 dead, 72 injured some seriously and it's thought that some won't make it.
Very sad ....I think I heard that the train was doing twice the speed limit ... not sure how correct that is , but if itās true itās shocking
Baz posted:El Loro posted:Lori, I'm glad that your friend wasn't there at the time of the accident
3 dead, 72 injured some seriously and it's thought that some won't make it.
Investigators are saying that the data from the train's rear engine indicates that the train was doing 80 mph on a curve which has a 30 mph.
Although the limit on most of the track is 79 mph, there were warning signs to slow down two miles before the curve to give the driver time to slow down.
A safety system called Positive Train Control (PTC) was not operational on the train in question, the president of Amtrak told reporters. Using GPS tracking, PTC automatically warns the driver of speed limits and other local conditions and applies the train's brakes if the warnings are not heeded.
Congress originally legislated for PTC to be installed by the end of 2015 but it is still not even halfway complete.
The cost of implementing the system fully on all tracks and vehicles is reported to be more than $22bn (Ā£16bn).
And the freeway is still closed this morning. It really is amazing that more people didn't die...
Very sad. Iām glad your friend is safe, Lori.
Thanks, Yogi! My friend did make it home last night: took her 3 hours to get there. 
