‘Positive train control’ not activated at scene of derailment

Dec 18, 2017, 2:36 PM | Updated: 3:24 pm

A cloud of smoke billows out as a transport vehicle carrying the engine from an Amtrak train that crashed onto Interstate 5 on Monday, begins to climb a small hill while leaving the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

People work at the curve where an Amtrak train derailed onto Interstate 5 two days earlier Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

People work at the curve leading to the railroad bridge where an Amtrak train derailed onto Interstate 5 two days earlier Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Vehicles fill the highway at the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 from the railroad bridge above two days earlier Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The engine from an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 on Monday, is checked by workers before being transported away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The engine from an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 two days earlier is transported away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that careened off the overpass south of Seattle, killing at least three people, was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators say, when it derailed along a curve, spilling railcars onto the highway below. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

State Patrol officers and workers gather before transporting the engine from an Amtrak train crash two days earlier away from the scene, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators in the deadly train wreck want to know whether the engineer was distracted by a second person in his cab as his train hurtled into a curve at more than twice the speed limit. The train took a 30 mph curve at 80 mph and plunged off an overpass, sending rail cars plummeting onto a busy highway south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged Amtrak passenger train car is lifted from the tracks at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)

A damaged Amtrak passenger train car sits on a flatbed truck after being lifted from the tracks at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)

Workers examine a damaged bridge section at the site of the derailment of an Amtrak train in Dupont, Wash., Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Investigators are looking into whether the Amtrak engineer whose speeding train plunged off an overpass on Monday, killing several people, was distracted by the presence of an employee-in-training next to him in the locomotive, a federal official said Tuesday. (Thomas James/Pool via AP)

A worker walks along a damaged train car atop a flat bed trailer taken from the scene of Monday's deadly Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged train car sits on a flatbed trailer at left as work continues to remove other cars at the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday, killing some people and injuring dozens. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A crane is used to lower a damaged Amtrak train car from an overpass at the scene of Monday's deadly train crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. ( (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged Amtrak train car is lowered from an overpass at the scene of a train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged Amtrak train car is lowered from an overpass at the scene of Monday's deadly train crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged train car sits atop a flatbed trailers after being removed from the scene of Monday's deadly Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 as northbound traffic passes nearby Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don’t yet know why the train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A worker walks along a damaged train car atop a flat bed trailer taken from the scene of Monday's fatal Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Work continues to remove damaged train cars at the scene of Monday's fatal Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A damaged train car is removed atop a flatbed trailer and followed by another from the scene of Monday's fatal Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 as northbound traffic passes on the left Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

The rear car of a crashed Amtrak train remains standing where the southbound tracks make a curve left Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Two damaged train cars are removed atop flatbed trailers from the scene of Monday's fatal Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Two damaged train cars are removed atop flatbed trailers from the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier as northbound traffic passes nearby Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday, killing some people and injuring dozens. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seats are jammed together with other debris on an upside-down Amtrak train car sitting on a flat bed trailer taken from the scene of Monday's deadly crash onto Interstate 5 Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train that plunged off an overpass south of Seattle was hurtling 50 mph over the speed limit when it jumped the track, federal investigators said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Two damaged train cars sit on flatbed trailers after being taken from the scene of an Amtrak train crash onto Interstate 5 a day earlier Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. Federal investigators say they don't yet know why the Amtrak train was traveling 50 mph over the speed limit when it derailed Monday south of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Cars from an Amtrak train that derailed above lay spilled onto Interstate 5 alongside smashed vehicles Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Cars from an Amtrak train that derailed above lie spilled onto Interstate 5, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing several people, authorities said. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

Workers walk over tracks near a curve at the back of where an Amtrak train derailed above Interstate 5, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing several people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A car covered in mud and debris and with a smashed windshield and other damage sits parked on the shoulder just beyond where an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below as some train cars remain on the tracks above Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. Seventy-eight passengers and five crew members were aboard when the train moving at more than 80 mph derailed about 40 miles south of Seattle before 8 a.m., Amtrak said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Police officials walk over tracks near a curve at the back of where an Amtrak train derailed above Interstate 5, Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A semi-truck with visible damage to its hood sits parked on the shoulder just ahead of a car covered in mud and debris and with a smashed windshield just beyond where an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below as some train cars remain on the tracks above Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

An official briefed on the investigation told the AP preliminary signs indicate the train may have struck something. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Cars from an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below as some remain on the tracks above Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. Seventy-eight passengers and five crew members were aboard when the train moving at more than 80 mph derailed about 40 miles south of Seattle before 8 a.m., Amtrak said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A derailed train is seen on southbound Interstate 5 on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. An Amtrak train making an inaugural run on a new route derailed south of Seattle on Monday, spilling train cars onto a busy interstate in an accident that resulted in "multiple fatalities" and numerous injuries, authorities said. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte)

Cars from an Amtrak train lay spilled onto Interstate 5 below alongside smashed vehicles as some train cars remain on the tracks above Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. Seventy-eight passengers and five crew members were aboard when the train moving at more than 80 mph derailed about 40 miles south of Seattle before 8 a.m., Amtrak said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Cars from an Amtrak train remain on the tracks above where other cars spilled below onto Interstate 5 Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in DuPont, Wash. The Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off the overpass Monday near Tacoma and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing some people, authorities said. Seventy-eight passengers and five crew members were aboard when the train moving at more than 80 mph derailed about 40 miles south of Seattle before 8 a.m., Amtrak said. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Train derailment in Pierce County at Mounts Road and I-5. (Pierce County Sheriff)

BY MYNORTHWEST STAFF

MyNorthwest.com

One factor that has garnered attention following Monday morning’s fatal train derailment near DuPont is the use of “positive train control” technology.

>> Plan your I-5 detour through Tacoma-Olympi a

Positive train control is a system designed to prevent accidents due to excessive train speeds. According to Amtrak President and Co-CEO Richard Anderson, the technology was not activated on the tracks where the incident occurred. KIRO 7 later clarified at the press conference that positive train control may not have been activated on the train while on the tracks.

The stretch of tracks are under the purview of Sound Transit. Positive train control technology was installed along the tracks in the Nisqually area in 2016, according to a Sound Transit representative.

It is not clear, however, if positive train control has anything to do with the derailment. Former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board Mark Rosenker told KIRO Radio that the NTSB investigation likely won’t offer answers anytime soon.

“We don’t know what happened here,” Rosenker said. “We don’t know if it was equipment failure, or human failure, or if it was a combination of both … It will take about a year before they really understand exactly what happened here. If they see something glaring, if they see something which they need to announce right away and make a change, they will announce that.”

>> Train derails over I-5 near Dupont
>> Photos from the scene
>> Passenger describes train ride before deadly derailment

Positive train control

Positive train control uses sensors along the tracks that communicate with a computer system which then analyzes conditions. The computers communicate with trains and will give advanced warning of any issues. The system will activate brakes ahead of human response if needed.

NTSB helped pass legislation that requires rail companies to use positive train control. Sound Transit has installed Positive Train Control on portions of its tracks used for light rail and Sounder train service, including between Tacoma and Lakewood.

The technology is not used on this segment of rail lines under Sound Transit jurisdiction known as the “Point Defiance Bypass,” Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson said during a conference call on Monday.

The tracks were previously owned by BNSF. Sound Transit’s passenger service — the Sounder train — does not use these tracks. Its transit service-only extends as far south as Lakewood, roughly 10 miles north of the train derailment. According to a Sound Transit representative, the agency completed installation of positive train control technology for “Nisqually track,” but it is unclear if that includes the Point Defiance Bypass.

Rosenker said that freight companies have pushed back against implementation of Positive Train Control. There was a deadline to implement the technology by 2015, but many companies did not meet it.

“The freight folks slow rolled the process,” he said. “It’s an expensive technology, and that’s probably why they were attempting to do that. They’ve gone to Congress so they don’t have to put in this technology until 2020, maybe 2022.”

In addition to preventing excessive speed incidents, Positive Train Control is also designed to prevent incidents relating to: train-to-train collisions; train movements through misaligned track switches; and unauthorized train entry into work zones. Only about 20-25 percent of the nation’s 62,000 miles of rail have positive train control, according to Rosenker. Amtrak, he said, only owns about 600 miles of track. It uses freight tracks for the remainder of its service.

The Point Defiance Bypass is available to Amtrak trains, freight, and military trains. A grant was recently used to upgrade the tracks and the work was overseen by Sound Transit. That work was completed in February 2017 and included: rebuilding all tracks, ties and signaling; rehab work on the bridge over I-5.