Two killed in crash involving Amtrak train, freight train

[Guest Nicole]

(CNN)Two people were killed in a crash involving a freight train and an Amtrak passenger train early Sunday in South Carolina, authorities said.

Amtrak Train 91 was traveling between New York and Miami with 147 people aboard when it collided with a CSX freight train in Cayce at about 2:35 a.m., derailing the lead engine and some passenger cars, Amtrak said in a statement.

According to Lexington County spokesman Harrison Cahill, 116 people were injured and transported to local hospitals, with injuries ranging from scratches to broken bones. Officials had initially said 70 people with injuries were transported to hospitals for treatment, but later adjusted the figure.

The CSX train was stationary on the tracks, "awaiting a later movement," when the collision occurred, Gov. Henry McMaster said in a press conference Sunday morning. It's not believed anyone was on that train.

Both individuals killed were Amtrak personnel, McMaster said.

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/04/us/amtrak-south-carolina-crash/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amtrak-train-crash-south-carolina-2-dead-live-updates-today-2018-02-04/

[Guest]

Amtrak rail safety is looking terrible this year. And this is on very slow moving USA rail infrastructure.

I think Amtrak should be funded for High Speed Rail NEW tracks of their own and not share rail with freight rail.