Philadelphia Amtrak Train Crash

Motley Rice transportation attorneys are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the fatal derailment of an Amtrak train on May 12, 2015, that killed eight passengers and seriously injured 140 more.  

The seven-car train, Northeast Regional Train 188, was traveling from New York, N.Y. to Washington, D.C., when it derailed at approximately 9:28 p.m. in Philadelphia’s Port Richmond neighborhood. It was carrying 238 passengers and five crew members. 

Mary Schiavo, former Inspector General for the Department of Transportation, analyzed live images from the scene shortly after the incident on CNN, noting in particular the severe damage to the track.

She told CNN, “The NTSB will be looking especially at three things because they're on their "most wanted" list for train safety: did this track and did this train have Positive Train Control, a new system that . . . would prevent train-to-train collisions and over-speed derailments or trains entering work zones. They would also want to look at the survivability of the cars and the cars’ crumple zones.” Read more about Positive Train Control in a blog by Mary.

“Other than situations where something has hit the train on the track, such as a semi-truck, for a derailment, this is an awful lot of damage and it looks different from other derailments we have seen. You can see the track is torn up and ripped apart, obviously by the force of the train,” said Schiavo.

Rescue workers continue to work the scene and the FAA and the NTSB are investigating. 

Motley Rice attorneys, including Mary Schiavo, will continue to monitor developments and follow the investigation. Our attorneys have experience representing victims and their families hurt in train crashes. If you or a loved one were a passenger, you may contact Mary Schiavo or James Brauchle by email or call our 24-Hour Hotline at 1.800.868.6456.