Rock fences that may prevent derailment not used in Vermont

The fences are installed in known rock-slide areas and are designed to send signals if they are hit with debris, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman said.

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October 7, 2015

Rock fences that may prevent derailment not used in Vermont

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NORTHFIELD, Vt. — Special fences protect railroad tracks from rock slides in some parts of the country, but the head of Amtrak said Tuesday it's unclear if the mechanisms could have prevented a derailment that injured seven people in Vermont, reported ABC News.

The fences are installed in known rock-slide areas and are designed to send signals if they are hit with debris, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman said.

Boardman said slide fences are used in parts of New York, but Vermont transportation officials said it's not believed that any are in the state. The National Transportation Safety Board is now investigating the derailment, which occurred when the train, carrying 98 passengers and four crew members, hit rocks that had fallen from a ledge onto the tracks in Northfield, according to ABC News. For the full story, click here.

Topics:Amtrak NTSB rail safety train derailment Vermont Management Rail Security and Safety

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