93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Federal transportation officials say the deadly June collision between an Amtrak passenger train and a dump truck in northern Missouri’s Mendon caused $4-million in damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a two-page preliminary report, which notes the train was authorized to go 90 miles per hour in that stretch. NTSB says Amtrak train four was traveling 89 miles per hour when emergency brakes were activated.
The NTSB says its investigation continues and that they’ll also look at highway railroad grade crossing design specifications and railcar design. The crash killed three train passengers and dump truck driver Billy Barton II. About 150 others suffered injuries.
More than a dozen NTSB investigators walked the train derailment site in late June, taking numerous notes. U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-Tarkio), the ranking Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told 939 the Eagle in late June that Congress has appropriated money to upgrade uncontrolled crossings like the one in Mendon. Uncontrolled crossings don’t have lights.
