The Latest Updates on Train #188

The NARP team was front and center in the wake of the tragic Amtrak Train #188’s derailment in Philadelphia on May 12. President and CEO Jim Mathews appeared on NPR’s “The Diane Rehm Show” and CBS Baltimore, while VP Sean Jeans-Gail appeared on “CNN Newsroom.”

Below are more links to Media Coverage of Train #188

National Journal - White House: Republicans Have Blocked Investments in Amtrak

Al Jazeera America - Amtrak says it needs billions to meet ‘state of good repair’

USA Today - On Amtrak train, where were automatic brakes? Our view

Los Angeles Times - Engineer in Philadelphia train crash has long advocated for rail safety

Philly.com - Railroads must adopt 'train control' system now

PBS Newshour - How safe is rail travel in the United States?

The Hill - Crash revives push for automated trains

Washington Post - The future of train safety lies in drones

CNN Money - What's the safest way to travel

Rachel Maddow Show - ‘This is on Congress’ head’

Time - How the Amtrak Crash Is Hurting the U.S. Economy

New Yorker - The plot against trains

CBS Money - Where will America's rail system get its funding?

The Week - Despite the Amtrak crash, trains are still an incredibly safe way to travel

May 14, 2015

Philadelphia Transportation Alternatives

Although there is currently no Amtrak service between Philadelphia and New York, other transportation options are available. Click here to see them.

For Immediate Release (#15-09) Contact: Ms. Benét J. Wilson
May 13, 2015 202-408-8362

NARP Expresses Condolences In The Wake Of Derailment Tragedy

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Railroad Passengers today issued the following statement:

The thoughts and prayers of NARP and its 28,000 members nationwide are with the passengers and crew of Amtrak Regional Train 188, which derailed last night in Philadelphia. The association offers its heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed and its sympathies and support to everyone who was injured.

NARP President & CEO Jim Mathews, a former volunteer firefighter and medic, also expressed his gratitude for the efforts of first responders on the scene who worked throughout the night to free the injured and to save lives.

"While NARP will continue to push ahead for a bipartisan, constructive and meaningful debate on the appalling infrastructure investment crisis facing America, today is not the time to push or to speculate on what might have gone wrong," Mathews said. "Today at the top of all of our minds should be the injured passengers; the families of those killed; the dedicated front-line Amtrak employees who strive every day to operate a safe trip for their customers; and the brave men and women who saved so many lives last night."

Safety is always the first concern for any transportation system. Investigators are at the scene in Philadelphia now, and NARP is looking forward to learning more details as they become available from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak.

NARP will make available a resource page for its members and the general public looking for information on service disruptions and alternative arrangements.

###

Below is a story from the "Morning Joe" show on MSNBC. In it, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, a Democrat, and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, a Republican, spoke about the need for major infrastructure improvements, including rail. The pair were in Washington, D.C., for events scheduled around Infrastructure Week.

Key Data Points and Links to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the Federal Rail Administration

• Passenger train accidents per million passenger train miles have gone down, from 2.29 in Calendar Year 2006 to 1.24 in CY 2014, down 54 percent.

DOT Railroad Passenger Saftey Data

DOT National Transportation Statistics

FRA Train Accidents By Rail Groups

FRA Office of Safety Analysis

Rail Resources in the Northeast Corridor

Amtrak

MARC Train Service (Maryland)

Metro-North Railroad (New York)

New Jersey Transit

SEPTA (Philadelphia)

Former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell is interviewed by Joe Scarborough about the accident and the need to step up efforts to invest in infrastructure.

Links to Media Coverage of Train #188, Updated

ADDED MAY 14

CNN: Philadelphia mayor rips Amtrak train engineer; NTSB official fires back

US News & World Report: READ: 'Amtrak Joe' Biden Responds to Philadelphia Train Derailment

NPR: Positive Train Control: The Tech That Could've Prevented Amtrak Derailment

New Yorker: Amtrak Trains May Be Sort of Empty Today, But They’re Still As Safe As Ever

New York magazine: Could Better Infrastructure Have Prevented the Amtrak Crash?

May 13

MSNBC: Crash renews calls for infrastructure spending

Bloomberg: Amtrak Crash Shows Need for More U.S. Transit Money, Mayors Say

NBC News: 'It got dark really quick': Former Congressman Rider recalls scene

NBC News: Cranes work to right derailed train cars

CNN: Accident scene photos

ABC 6: Mayor Michael Nutter gives an update on the Amtrak train derailment

CNN: 'Within two minutes it was chaos': Amtrak passengers recall derailment'

NY Times: Latest Updates: Amtrak Derailment in Philadelphia

Washington Post: Why Amtrak trains derail

Washington Post: What does Amtrak derailment mean for riders traveling from DC to NY?