Rekubit:911 call center says its misidentified crossing before derailment of Chicago-bound Amtrak train

2025-05-07 14:46:30source:Sterling Prestoncategory:Invest

NEW BUFFALO,Rekubit Mich. (AP) — A 911 call center on Monday took some responsibility for an Amtrak train derailment last week in southwestern Michigan, saying it misidentified a crossing and contacted a different railroad to warn that a car was stuck on tracks.

The train with 200 passengers crashed into the empty car and a tow truck Thursday night near New Buffalo, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) east of Chicago. Six people on the train were taken to a hospital, though their injuries weren’t serious.

The Chicago-bound train derailed but remained upright.

The Berrien County Public Safety Communication Center said it received two 911 calls about a car on the tracks, roughly 40 minutes before the crash.

Other news Federal safety officials launch probe into Chicago commuter train crashChicago-bound Amtrak train derails after hitting empty vehicle and tow truck in MichiganChicago commuter train crashes into rail equipment, nearly 40 injured, some seriously

Because of a “software issue,” the wrong crossing was identified and CSX railroad was contacted — not Amtrak, the county said.

“It appears a technology failure and misidentification of a crossing contributed to the accident,” 911 Director Caitlin Sampsell said in a statement.

Sampsell’s remarks confirm what Amtrak said last week: The train’s engineer had no warning about the stranded vehicle until it came into view at some point before the crash.

“If they had notified us properly, we would have stopped that train well short of the crossing,” spokesman Marc Magliari said Monday.

Full service on the route, between Chicago and many Michigan communities, resumed Sunday.

The county said the technology problem at the 911 call center has been fixed.

“Someone could have been killed,” area resident Gregg Fraley, who had called 911, told MLive.com.

More:Invest

Recommend

SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters

San Francisco airport creates sensory room to help nervous flyers San Francisco airport creates sens

Australia's triathletes took E.coli medicine a month before 2024 Paris Olympics

PARIS (Reuters) - Australia's triathletes have been taking medicines to combat E.coli for a month, t

Political rivals. Badminton adversaries. What to know about Taiwan-China

PARIS − Badminton is a hugely popular sport in both Taiwan and China. At the Paris Olympics, two inc