The horror of the Amtrak train 188 derailment last week in Philadelphia, in which eight passengers lost their lives and more than 150 were injured and sent to local hospitals, will live in the survivors’ memories, and those of the families and friends of every passenger and crew member, forever.
Since the derailment, passengers, crew, Amtrak and government officials, and the public have been groping to answer the question, “How could this happen?” With that question slowing being answered, rail travelers are beginning to ask what they might do for themselves to survive an accident, however rare, while riding the rails, especially Amtrak’s.
Amtrak served almost 31 million passengers last year. According to statistics kept by the US Federal Railway Administration (FRA), from 2000 to 2014 Amtrak’s accident rate per million passenger miles, excluding collisions at railroad crossings which are rarely under Amtrak’s control, was reduced from 4.1 to 1.7, with annual derailments decreasing from about 80 to 28 on average. Accidents due to track problems fell by two thirds, and due to human error by half. Accidents related to equipment failures changed little.
This suggests Amtrak and other track owners have been improving track conditions. (Amtrak owns just 730 miles of the 21,300 miles of track they use.) It also suggests Amtrak personnel training has improved. In addition, the data appears to indicate Amtrak’s decades old fleet is in serious need of replacement.
The measures passengers can take to improve their crash and derailment survivability begin before leaving for the station. Passengers should dress appropriately for train travel. Wear a good pair of shoes or leather sneakers, never high heels, sandals or flip-flops, as they can make it very hard to move quickly within wreckage.
Just like when I fly, I wear long pants and long sleeved shirts, made of natural fibers (synthetics or high synthetic content blends can melt on your skin in a fire, causing serious and even fatal wounds) when I ride the train, to protect my skin from the possibility of intense heat and fire, such as occurred in the Metro North Railroad accident in February, which killed six. Don’t wear loose or elaborate clothing which can get snagged on obstacles in a damaged train car’s tight quarters.
If you aren’t carrying a smartphone with a flashlight app, bring a lightweight LED flashlight to light your way in case of an accident. They’re helpful for any emergency while traveling, not just accidents.
On some trains you might have a specific reserved seat assignment. On Amtrak, your reserved seat, isn’t an assigned seat, so passengers find and choose their seat after boarding the train.
In a head-on or rear-end collision you’ll likely be safer in one of the train cars in the middle of the train, as the first or last car, respectively, will take the brunt of collision, and crash forces. In a derailment, the front of the train is typically the most affected. Therefore the logical choice is to sit at the center of the train or somewhat toward the rear.
Once inside your rail car of choice, try to snag an aisle seat. In case of an accident, you’re more likely to be hit by broken glass, or thrown from the train if you’re in a window seat. Take a seat that’s rear-facing. In the event of a collision, with the train stopping suddenly, your forward momentum will push you into the seat’s back. If you’re facing forward, you’ll be thrown forward, head and chest first, into the seats ahead of you.
Once you sit down, devise an escape plan. You already know the train car has exits at the front and rear, but the doors may become jammed, unable to be opened in an accident. Know where the nearest emergency window exits are located, in front and behind you, on both sides of the train car. Make sure you know how to open the emergency window exits. Just knowing where they are isn’t enough.
Don’t linger in cafe cars or any lavatories. Cafe cars have all kinds of equipment which can become dangerous projectiles, and lavatories have many hard edges which can cause serious head or chest injuries if you are hurled around in it, in an accident.
In the event of a accident, get out of the train as soon as possible. If it’s winter, grab your coat. You don’t want to suffer from hypothermia, as you don’t know how long you’ll have to wait to be rescued. Otherwise don’t take anything with you except your flashlight or smartphone light if it’s dark. You want your hands free to keep your balance as you step over debris and luggage, or get pushed by panicked passengers.
If the aisle is blocked, walk over the backs of seats. Once out, watch out for dangling electric wires. You could be electrocuted if you touch them. Get well away from the train crash site to be safe in case of fire or other hazards.
Whatever you do, don’t panic. Stay calm. Use your evacuation plan.
(Image of Amtrak locomotive, Copyright © 2015, NSL Photography. All Rights Reserved.)
After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Visit Ned’s Photography Blog and Galleries.
