About 6:40 p.m., on June 9, 1978, Conrail commuter train No. 400 struck Amtrak passenger train No. 60, which was slowing to stop at a grade crossing at Seabrook, Maryland. Eight cars of train No. 60 and the three head cars of train No. 400 derailed. Sixteen crewmembers and 160 passengers were injured, and damage was estimated to be $248,050. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of the engineer of train No. 400 to perceive the train ahead and to properly apply the brakes in sufficient time to prevent a collision. Contributing to the accident was the failure of Amtrak to assure that the train crews were adequately trained. The causes of the large number of injuries in this relatively low-speed collision were the failure to maintain and service seats on the Amfleet equipment, and the injury-producing fixtures designed into the commuter cars.
Railroad Accident Report, Rear End Collision of Conrail Commuter Train No. 400 and Amtrak Passenger Train No. 60, Seabrook, Maryland, June 9, 1978
1979
36 pages
Report
No indication
English
Transportation Safety , Railroad Transportation , Railroad trains , Accident investigations , Passenger transportation , Collisions , Injuries , Railroad cars , Equipment , Safety , Braking , Maryland , Railroad accidents , Railroad derailments , Seabrook(Maryland) , Railroad highway crossings , Human factors , Commuter rail systems , Amtrak system , ConRail system