Amtrak derailment kills four
An investigation into the cause of the accident in Crescent City, Fla., is underway.
The derailment yesterday of an Amtrak Auto Train traveling between Florida and Virginia killed four people and injured 133 others. The train derailed at about 5:00 pm EST, when 14 of the 16 passenger cars went off the tracks. The cause of the accident is currently unknown and the the track was reported in good condition following an inspection hours before the crash. The incident occurred in Crescent City, Fla., only about an hour from the starting point of Sanford. Amtrak said the train, which carries passengers and their cars between Sanford and Lorton, Va., was carrying 440 passengers and 28 crew members. The derailment was the first Auto Train accident since 1998 when the front wheels of the lead engine derailed. There were no injuries. The Auto Train service carried 234,000 passengers in 2000 and is a popular service for tourists traveling between Washington and Orlando's theme parks.
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