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American Morning

Amtrak Derailment Being Investigated

Aired July 30, 2002 - 07:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back in this country now on the morning after, federal investigators now analyzing data from the so-called "event recorders," taken from that Amtrak passenger train that detailed yesterday just outside of Washington.

This morning, Kathleen Koch on the scene with the latest there.

Kathleen -- hello.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

What that event recorder will tell them is, what was the speed of the train? We are hearing it was roughly about 57 to 60 miles an hour. The speed limit on this stretch of track when this accident occurred yesterday was about 70 miles an hour.

It will also tell you, well, was the engineer accelerating? Was he decelerating? Apparently, NTSB says that the engineer told them last night that he saw the track heave to the side, as they were approaching this stretch of tracks, and began to brake. So that's what that event recorder will tell you is that, indeed, what happened.

Of course, yesterday, a very dramatic scene here, and really miraculous that no one was killed. Of the 161 passengers and 12 crew on board this train, 97 people were injured, 30 of them seriously, 6 of them critically.

Now, what we'll be waiting to hear more about today is reports from the NTSB, again, them looking at the track.

Then apparently, they checked this very same stretch of track, the CSX rail line, on Sunday. The track was fine. Just 45 minutes before the passenger train passed, a freight rail passed over this, carrying some 91 tons of freight. The track, again, held up.

So we'll be waiting to hear more from the NTSB on what they might have found up to this point that might give us some indication as to what happened yesterday -- back to you.

HEMMER: A multitude of questions still. Kathleen, thanks -- Kathleen Koch north of Washington this morning.

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